


Lost and Found

by NovusArs



Series: Lost and Found Series [1]
Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, F/M, Mentions of Slavery, Middle Earth is a Dark and Dangerous world, No Journey, Slow Build Probably
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-20
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2017-12-09 00:48:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 87
Words: 51,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/768038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NovusArs/pseuds/NovusArs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short one shot like chapters that collaborate to show Bella Baggins life carrying for four little dwarflings (Fili, Kili, Ori, and Gimli) after saving them from slavers, and how her life and the Shire changes forever because of her act of kindness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Finder's Keepers

Bella Baggins was trekking through the small forested area just outside Bree, her first time this far from the Shire, when she heard a great many crashes. The small creature slid down behind a large tree and peaked out to see the disturbance. It was coming from the direction of the road.

 

Hobbits rarely used the roads outside the Shire but they still travelled near the roads. Ever since the Fell Winter, fifteen years past, dark things had kept happening. Good folk of the Shire would just disappear when they went out from their home.

 

Bella had heard the whispers from her cousins. The bounders were finding traces of struggles on the roads. There were hints of big folk coming and taking the good hobbits of the land. Supposedly there was one or two hobbits that had escaped a group of big folk in Budgeford. The story goes that the big folk were slavers and that hobbits were bringing them good coin. So it had become common practice for the hobbits to avoid the roads or travel in large groups.

 

The little hobbit stared out at the big folk tramping around the forest around the road. She was dangerously close to a group arguing loudly.

 

“You let it escape!” The graying haired man nearly screamed, his hands flinging out in outrage. “We paid good money!”

 

“Aye and you were given your prett’ yesterday evenin’ when you purchased that little ‘un.” Scowled a broad chested man. “Ya signed the contract and everythin’. The contracts states clear that the prett’ is your responsibility once we hand it over for gold. It’s your problem now. We’ll be nearin’ the Sarn ford spot if you be wantin’ another pretty to replace the one you misplaced.”

 

Bella covered her mouth to keep from making noise. Were these slavers? Was there a hobbit out here needing her help? She couldn’t consciously leave the area without looking but she would have to wait till the slavers moved on.

 

“Now see here! We haven’t even left the place of purchase. You have to give us some aid or compensation at letting our slave escape the encampment!” Cried out the gray haired man as he rushed off after the slaver.

 

It wasn’t long before the slavers, who looked like perfectly respectable merchants, headed out. The new slave owner and his companion trampled around the area a while longer before giving up with a huff and mutter of the lack of respectable businessmen. The comment turned her stomach. There was nothing respectable about slavers.

 

Bella carefully looked around the area just outside the searched circle the big folk had trampled over. A small broken branch on a low hanging bush was the hobbit’s only hint. She headed past it, in the direction that led the furthest from the old encampment the quickest.

 

A few other broken twigs and branches kept her wandering for a good twenty minutes until she reached a steep, wet hill. The ground was moist from abundant rains and the closeness to the river. She almost missed the torn up earth. Just covered by flexible bush branches was a chunk of disturbed earth heading sharply down the hill. Something running had made it.

 

The little hobbit carefully walked and slide down the hill searching for any other hint. Other chunks of the moist earth was pulled from its proper place from something that had rolled down the hill. It was near the bottom, just feet from the Brandywine river that she found it.

 

A small body lay motionless against a jutted out rock that had stopped its descent into the river. She was beside the body within seconds. Twigs, moss and mud covered the small body. Bella spoke softly as she carefully took one of the bodies arms. “Can you hear me? Are you awak?”

 

There was no verbal response and the body made no motion either but she could feel a pulse. The hobbit lass proceeded to carefully slid her hands down each limb, looking for any indication of harm. The slight jerking motion from the body when she pressed carefully down the bodies ankle relieved her and worried her. A reaction meant that the person was responsive and could still feel his legs, meaning that the back was most likely alright. The reaction also meant that the ankle was harmed in some way.

 

She very carefully shifted the body until she had it in her arms. Mud covered reddish hair and face was revealed. It was a child, a little boy. Bella slid her shaking hands through the dirty hair, finding a braid that had come loose. Whatever had held it together appeared to have been chopped off. Perhaps it had been of some value to the slavers?

 

Bella shook her head sharply. What was she doing sitting here staring at the poor thing? She needed to get the child home, cleaned and looked over properly!

 

The little hobbit shifted the boy around to slump against her back and struggled up. It took the rest of the day for the little hobbit to reach Woodhall. The resident healer worked with Bella to clean and care for the child. It became surprisingly clear that the little boy was no hobbit. But neither was he a child of man.

 

“Is he-” breathed Bella as she slid her fingers through the boys oddly cropped hair, feeling the fever through the hair covering his forehead. The slavers must have chopped it short.

 

“A dwarf?” finished the healer. “Yes, I do believe he is.”

 

“You just found him by the river?” Asked, for the twentieth time, the bounder captain for Woodhall.

 

Bella turned her gaze from the unconscious child with a huff of annoyance. “Yes I believe I already told you this. What are we going to do about the slavers?”

 

The bounder captain gave her a confused looked, “Whatever do we need to do? They are long gone.”

 

The golden haired, mud covered hobbit lass jumped up in outrage. “They might have more people! More children!”

 

“They’re big folk, what can we do Miss Baggins?” Cried out the captain, his cheeks pale in horror at the idea of going after the slavers.

 

The healer interrupted the argument, “The Merrdock’s in Budgeford have lost their daughter, if you recall the message from yesterday, Billen. The slavers may have her.”

 

“I overheard them saying they’d be near the Sarn Ford.” Added Bella, relief over having another joining her side. Hobbits rarely left the Shire and they even more rarely got involved with the conflicts of the big folk. Yet children were involved and it seemed none of the big folk were doing anything about it.

 

“I’ll.... The rangers have been less helpful lately, there are less and less of them it seems nowadays.” Billen waved his hand up in a flustered manner. “I’ll send word to Tookborough and figure something out.”

 

That something was never really discussed with Bella or the healer but a week later ten more children were brought in for healing. six were little faunts whose family rushed to take them home. The other four were dwarrows. Unlike the little hobbit children, the dwarven children were badly wounded. Their only guess was that the dwarrows fought against their imprisonment and the slavers.

 

It was five days after the four new children came into Bella’s care that one of them woke with coherency. It wasn’t the child she had found by the river, he was still trapped in fever. It was what appeared to be the youngest of the children.

 

The boy woke with a soft groan and shake of his head. His newly cropped, vibrant red hair swayed back and forth as he woke himself up. The very act of trying to wake properly seemed to exhaust the child though. Bella spoke in warning, “Careful little one. You’re safe here.”

 

The boy forced his eyes open and tried to focused on to her. “Ma?”

 

Bella’s heart broke, “I’m sorry, I’m not and she isn’t here.” She paused hesitantly. “Can you tell me your name? What your ma’s and pa’s name are?”

 

The little boy’s eyes were falling heavily with a couple tears sliding out. He spoke in just a whisper and slurred out, “Gimli.” The boy was asleep before Bella could asked whose name that belonged to.

 

Two day’s later one of the children died from infection. They buried the brunette with all the stones they could find to surround her body. Her grave remained unmarked by name but they planted the flowers for a mother’s love, innocence and the traditional flower for the dead: pink and white carnations, and daffodils.

 

The fevers finally started to properly break on the boys and Bella found herself taking the children home. She had been the only one willing and able to look after four dwarven children while the bounders searched out rangers to find answers. No one brought up the lack of information the name Gimli was going to bring.

 

Time flew by and winter crept to Bag End. The four children no longer had fevers but they slept the days away as their wounds healed and their body recovered from infection and possibly a cold. It was on one windy evening as Bella Baggins went through the rounds of cooking stew, the broth for the boys, that things changed.

 

“Hello?”

 

Bella slapped her hands over her mouth as she twirled around in shock. The little boy she had found nearly a month ago stood shyly at the kitchen entrance. Her hands lowered to her rapidly beating heart. “Oh, you gave me a scare. I’m not used to having anyone else up and about.”

 

The little boy nodded slowly in understanding before he said, “Who... who are you?”

 

The hobbit lass smiled kindly down at the boy and said, “I’m Bella Baggins,” before waving over at one of the chairs for the kitchen table. “The stew is ready if you would like to sit.”

 

The scuffling sounds of shuffling feet told her that the boy had chosen to come in. Setting a bowl down, she regarded the boy. Brown-red hair framed a face thinned from hunger and large brown eyes that held a surprising amount of innocence besides a wariness no child should have.

 

Bella sank into her own chair and dug into her bowl of stew. After a few minutes of companionable silence she finally spoke, “So what’s your name?”

 

The little dwarf boy paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth. “Oh...” Large brown eyes met hers in faint panic. “I’m so sorry! I didn’ mean- I shouldn’ have...” The boy paused before speaking up with only a slight tremor in his voice. “Ori. My name is Ori Mrs. Baggins.”

 

“No, no. I’m no Misses. I’m not married Ori.” Bella smiled reassuringly at the boy. She paused for another moment, trying to organize her thoughts. “Do you know where’s home?” She finally asked. As much as she wanted to ask how he and the others had been taken, she didn’t want to bring up such memories.

 

“Erebor.”

 

Bella smiled at that. She had never heard of the place but it was good news that they would be able to get the children home. “Where about’s that?”

 

“Far over the Misty Mountains...” Answered the little boy as he continued eating the stew. “To dungeons...deep! ummm” The boy frowned before mumbling, “I can’ remember all of the part about where.” He looked up before adding, “There something about hammers and spells... and-and about the dragon though!”

 

The hobbit lass listened in confusion and then growing understanding. The child was trying to remember some poem or song about his home. Her mind blanked, though, at the word dragon. “Dr-dra-dragon?!?”

 

Ori nodded decisively as only a little boy could. “Smaug the Terrible took our home but we’ll get it back one day.”

 

“I see.” Bella pushed the potatoes around in her bowl, deep in thought. She somehow doubted that dwarves were living with the dragon in Erebor. Yet the child had called it home. She looked up and regarded Ori with deeply shadowed green eyes. The dragon had their home so where did the dwarves of Erebor live? “Do you know where we can find your family?”

 

Ori’s head shot up sharply. “Dori? Nori?”

 

“What?”

 

The little boy wrung his hands for a second before whispering out, “My brothers. I-I don’t know where they are. Dori is where we’ve been livin’ and Nori just comes and goes.”

 

Bella sighed sadly at that, “You don’t recall any names of places, perhaps?”

 

“The men that took me went through Fornost before coming to Bree. Then I got sold and escaped.” Ori frowned down at his bowl before adding, “They said somethin’ about havin’ to go round abouts to avoid elves.”

 

“One second.” Said Bella. She left the dwarrow in her kitchen and rushed to her study. She made quick work of her many maps, searching out and taking the newest one of the west. Bringing it back to the kitchen she laid it out and showed the little boy where they were, where Fornost was and where Bree was. “To avoid the elves now...” Bella carefully tapped out the two Elven communities she had on the map. “They were either talking about the Grey Havens or Rivendell, I think.”

 

“I guess.” Agreed Ori as he stared intently at the map.

 

Bella stared at the map for a few minutes before heaving a sigh. “That possibly cuts out everything besides the North but the North is a very large place. Perhaps you can describe where you lived? Were you in mountains or large hills or such?”

 

“What’s the difference between mountains and large hills?” Ori asked in turn. “There are dwarves and men and there are coal mines and trees and wooden buildings that let the wind in no matter what you do.”

 

“Well, lets see here.” Bella hummed as she thought. How did one describe mountains and large hills when one has never seen such before themselves? “Mountains are very, very large.”

 

“Larger than large hills?”

 

“Yes and taller too.”

 

“Then how large and how tall are large hills?” asked Ori, his nose scrunched up in deep concentration.

 

Bella felt rather ridiculous as she answered, “Well larger than hills in the Shire but I don’t rightly know.” Ori’s confused expression didn’t help matters at all.


	2. Finding Comfort

Bella carefully spooned more broth into the brunette's mouth. Ori was curled up in a chair silently staring at the other dwarfling before him. He hadn’t said a word since dinner. Bella finally spoke up. “There are two other little dwarves in the other rooms. Do you happen to know of them?”

 

“I hadn’t seen anyone else. They kept us separate.”

 

She hummed softly before blowing softly on the soup filled spoon. The brunette’s clouded brown eyes flickered over to Ori for the first time. The pained, guarded expression faded to one of relief. He slurred out what seemed to be a few nonsense words, “Fili haar?”

 

Ori seemed to understand him though and answered, “Ohr menknai ur Fili haar.”

 

“Ori?” Bella frowned between the two boys.

 

“He’s asking if someone named Fili is here.” Explained Ori.

 

Bella reached out and lightly tapped her finger against the boy’s brow, regaining his attention. “Can you understand me? We have two other boys. One’s a small red headed child and the other is a older blond child. The redhead gave me a name, though I don’t know whose it belongs to. Gimli.”

 

The burnette struggled up out of the bed, his broken arm held up to keep out of the way. Bella cried out and tried to keep him down. He paused and plead out “Blond, please!” before having a coughing fit.

 

“Alright, just be careful!” Order Bella as she helped the child out of bed. Ori rushed over to his other side and wrapped the burnette’s good arm over his shoulders. The three shuffled down the hall to the last guest room.

 

The blond boy lay awake, his broken leg hanging up properly for blood flow. The two boys cried out as one once they saw each other.

 

“Fili!”

“Kili!”

 

“Boys calm down!” Bella rushed over to Fili and stopped him from falling out of the bed. “It’s alright. You’re both safe here.” Bella turned over to Ori, “Can you help Kili to the otherside. I have a feeling it will be pointless trying to keep them separate.”

 

Ori nodded in agreement, a small wistful smile was stretched across his face. The brothers were more relaxed and open after they were settled besides each other. Between Bella and Ori, they were fed. Then Bella slipped out of the room and collected a half awake Gimli, as Fili had insisted was his name. Apparently Kili, Fili and Gimli had all been captured by the slavers together.

 

Returning to the guest room, which was built for a man or elf to use and was very large for a single little dwarfling, Bella found that Ori had joined Fili and Kili on the bed. It was large enough that Bella ended up settling Gimli in with them. She sank gratefully into a chair by the bed and picked up a book she had read while watching over the boys for the last month.

 

“Miss Baggins?” Spoke Ori. Her green eyes looked up and met sleepy brown ones in turn. “Could you sing to us?”

 

Bella smiled, “I’m not a very good singer but I can, if you would like.” Ori wasn’t the only dwarfling that nodded eagerly. Bella smiled wider at that. “Alright then.. Lets see.” She frowned thoughtfully. “How about this one...” She cleared her throat before beginning a song she had wrote when she used to adventure out across all of the Shire, before the Fell Winter.

 

“Roads go ever ever on,

Over rock and under tree,

By caves where never sun has shone,

By streams that never find the sea;

Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June,

Over grass and over stone,

And under mountains in the moon.

 

Roads go ever ever on,

Under cloud and under star.

Yet feet that wandering have gone

Turn at last to home afar.

Eyes that fire and sword have seen,

And horror in the halls of stone

Look at last on meadows green,

And trees and hills they long have known.

 

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way,

Where many paths and errands meet....” Bella’s voice faded as she noticed the sleeping dwarrows. She should have placed them together from the beginning. They were so much more peaceful together. What strong little boys they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poem is by TRR Tolkien. It would work well as a song and might be a song in the books, don't know for sure. 
> 
> Not the best chapter I've ever written but I needed to get all the dwarflings introduced and knowing they're all there together. I couldn't see this waiting till they were all up and moving around so I did it now instead of later. 
> 
> Ori doesn't know the other three because, while possessing Durin blood somewhere in his line, Ori isn't of noble background. I figured there was both some social status barriers that survived the move from Erebor to Ered Luin. I always imagined the dwarves coming to join the mission to get Erebor back from many communities and while some knew each other before most only became comrades during the mission.


	3. Winter Snow

Winter grew long and cold. Many feet of snow blocked the front door by the time all the little Dwarrows were able to leave their beds. Fili was the last because of his leg. It was after many conversations and sitting down with her newest map that they finally confirmed that they had come from Ered Luin. An entire mountain range was a smaller area to search than the entire North but it was still an entire mountain range.

 

The only other information Bella was able to gleam was the descriptions of Fili and Kili’s parents, uncle and a few other vaguely related dwarrows. Gimli could go in great lengths on the beards his parents both had but not much else. Ori and Fili were the only ones who could give names: Nori, Dori, Dwalin, and Balin. The rest of their relations had been called by family titles of ma, pa and uncle.

 

On the first morning Fili was considered well enough to run around, not just shuffle through the house, Bella decided to take the boys out. She pulled out a whole mess of old clothing to find things that would fit. Her father’s old coat was large but warm on Fili. One of her thicker wool sweaters swam on Ori. A old childs coat of her’s was slightly tight on Gimli (and a little strange looking with it being a aged pink color). She was able to scrounge up four long sleeved shirts to layer on Kili.

 

Then she pulled out her shawl and three old scarves to finished bundling them up. Last, she pulled out the pile of old boots(from a traveling merchant that hailed from Bree who came through the Shire every two years or so) which were used only in the winter time when it got too cold or wet out to dare go out without some type of coverings. None of the boots fit the boys properly but they would be protected from the cold.

 

“We’ll get you boys proper clothing come spring.” Bella decided out loud as she stared at the ridiculous sight before her. It was oddly endearing. “Mister Galin Proudfoot has caught a fevered cold.” Their confused expressions at her explanation reminded her that they didn’t know anything about hobbits or Hobbiton. “Ah, he’s the local tailor. We’ll have to travel to Bree to get boots too. That trip is best postponed till the snow melts but if the boots hurt your feet I’ll see about getting us there sooner.”

 

“Ya don’t have to do that, Miss Baggins.” Answered Fili. “We’ll be fine with whatever ya can pull out for us to use.”

 

“As long as you’re staying with me I’ll make sure you’re clothed properly.” Bella picked up a large basket and led the boys to the back door. “Tell me if you get cold. I’ll try and find more things for you all to wear.”

 

A chorus of “Yes Ma’am” led her out the door. The boys followed, quietly looking around at all the smials and the few hobbits they walked past. They purchased a number of meats, fresh baked breads, and jared vegetables and fruits at the market before stopping for a snack of sticky buns and hot tea. The hobbits out and about stared at the boys and the boys stared right back. The curiosity of both were palatable but the boys were uncertain on what to do and the hobbits were too respectable to just go up and demand answers.

 

As it was, any rumors about Bella Baggins of Bag-End taking in a group of dwarves had finally been given substance. Bella had been too busy with the boys to know what the rumors had developed into but none had said anything about the dwarves being children. Maybe she’ll have callers again.

 

As they headed back to Bag End, the boys relaxed enough to move ahead of her and investigate to a small amount. Bella slipped into the house and set the food away before going back outside. The dwarflings had started a snowball fight. She smiled at that as she settled down on the bench.

 

They were getting more comfortable here. Hopefully the bounders will find a ranger headed towards Ered Luin and their families would be found. Assuming they found a ranger at first thaw and the ranger knew where best to search for Erebor dwarves in Ered Luin, their families would make it here late summer. She sighed at her thoughts. How likely was that?

 

A snowball slamming into the side of her head knocked the depressing thoughts from her. Looking up, Bella found four wide eyed boys staring at her. The hobbit lass hummed at their worried looks and darted forward, scooped a handful of snow and, smashing it into something resembling a ball, threw it at Kili.

 

The four responded with shouts of “Khazâd ai-mênu!”. Bella found herself pelted with snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khazâd ai-mênu -- The Dwarves are upon you!


	4. Bubbles

The days slowly flew by with Bella finding things to occupy the boys. The mornings became outside time. The boys would follow her down the snowy paths to the market and each would get a sticky bun as a treat for helping with the groceries (dwarf children ate far more than she had thought possible).

 

Then they returned to her home, though varying in the path they took back. The boys would play in the snow and Bella would prepare elevenies. After the meal the youngest, Gimli would take a nap and the others would amuse themselves with the various indoor activities Bella could think of.

 

Ori spent most days working through her books, carefully sounding out words and asking Bella what some of them meant. Kili had found the old fiddle Bella could still remember her father using to fill the home with music. The little black headed boy was no master but did have a surprising amount of natural skill. Fili took to wilting away at pieces of wood.

 

Afternoons were spent with the boys running around outside once again. Evenings were used towards schooling as Bella couldn’t rightly leave the boys uneducated. There were things she couldn’t teach them that dwarves needed to know but she did teach them everything she could.

 

They learned to read and write in common and Sindarin. She taught them their numbers and how to handle an estate like the one she took care of as it taught them many monetary and logistic skills. They all were taught how to read a map and how to find their directions through moss on tree sides, star positions, shadows and other various manors. Bella also taught them basic herblore she planned to expand upon once spring was in full bloom.

 

Many evenings flew by with the four dwarflings curled around Bella by the roaring fire. Ori pointing at each word he wanted explained, Kili and Gimli staring in wonder at maps of far off lands, and Fili carefully repeating elvish words filled her with a contentment she hadn’t known.

 

That contentment was always thrown away with fits of laughter and mild frustration as Bella tried to teach the boys one of many important respectable habits. She made it mandatory for them to bath every night.

 

The boys seemed to hate washing at first. They ran screaming in terror the first night she told them to get ready for a proper wash. By the time they realized that the water was a nice warmth, the water and soap were everywhere. She ended up as soaked as they.

 

Bella flopped down to the floor with a huffed laugh. Tonight was no different. Though they knew the water was warm and the soap mild enough not to hurt their eyes, the four little boys chose to continue to make it a battle. She blamed their dwarfish nature.

 

Gimli ran past with a loud war cry and spray of bubbles from his soaped up body and hair. Kili scrambled after the small red head just as soaped up, wet and nude.  Bella laughed helplessly at the sight before making chase.

 

Gimli was easy to catch, young as he was. Kili though knew how to outmaneuver the taller hobbit. Diving between chairs and scrambling under the dining table, Kili dodged Bella’s grasp. Gimli squirming in Bella’s left arm and crying out revenge for his dirt spots didn’t help her quest for the other naked boy.

 

The hobbit used underhanded tactics to catch Kili. She pushed him into a corner and threw a large towel over the little dwarf. Then she flipped the towel wrapped boy over her right shoulder.

 

Bella’s frustrated grin softened to a smile at the sight of Fili and Ori quietly bathing. Both had carefully created bubble beards and mustaches and appeared to be acting like older dwarves with rough wooden pipes Fili had carved in their mouths. They sat quietly speaking in the secret language of dwarves. Their conversation sounded serious as they blew bubbles out of the top of their pipes.

 

Then they saw her and beamed through their bubble beards at her.


	5. Children

Fili quietly looked around the market place as he followed Miss Bella towards the butchers. Life had changed drastically over the last couple of months. The blond dwarf looked over at his brother and distant cousin. Their cheeks were rounding out. His were doing the same from all the good food Miss Bella gifted them.

 

He glanced over at Miss Bella. She was small and seemed so breakable with how soft she looked. The only hair on her were the golden curls on her head and feet, so different from his ma. Yet she was able to wrangle them into doing their schooling and bathing. It was strange but Miss Bella was the best thing that could have happened to them.

 

Fili didn’t want to think about what would have happened if she hadn’t found Ori. It didn’t matter. She had found them and she had opened her home to them. Miss Bella was even working with others to find their family (and oh how part of him hoped they stayed with Miss Bella; their ma and uncle and Ori’s brothers and Gimli’s parents staying with them all under the warm roof and place of plenty Bag End was). The least they could do was be good and do the simple things she asked for.

 

The young dwarf narrowed his eyes at the butcher’s son. The hobbit was staring at Miss Bella in a way that Fili did not like. Ori tugged at Fili’s sleeve. The two oldest darrow in Hobbiton shared a look of understanding. Miss Bella took care of them so they would take care of her. They would protect her for while she was kind and caring, she was small and fragile.

 

No one would hurt their hobbit.

 

Another tug at Fili’s sleeve broke him from his thoughts. Looking over, expecting one of his fellow dwarves, the blond stilled in surprise at the little curly haired fauntling standing shyly before him.

 

The copper haired boy lifted up a red ball and asked with a slight stutter, his courage seemingly fading from him as he spoke, “Would you-u and the other dwarf-f-fs like to play with us?”

 

Fili stared wide eyed. While Miss Bella had taken them in and there had been no clear hostility towards them, none of the other hobbits had taken the moment to speak to them directly. The other children had all avoid them until now. A group of children stood a few feet behind the hobbit boy that had the guts to speak to them. It seemed that they were no longer considered strange enough to avoid. A faint grin and a wave of excitement filled the young dwarf.

 

“Really?” Asked Kili, a wide smile slowly spreading across his face emphasising the chubby cheeks he had regained. At the hobbit boy’s nod, the four dwarflings turned excitedly as one to a smiling Bella.

 

“Miss Bella, can we?” Asked Filli.

 

She looked over at the little hobbit and asked a quick question, “Fastolph will there be any adults?”

 

“Mama will be present along with Mrs. Gamgee.” Fastolph answered quickly, his nervousness gone at the excitement the dwarflings were showing.

 

“Alright then, keep an eye on Gimli.” Shouts of joy filled the air as both dwarf and hobbit child ran off to play in the melting snow.


	6. Bread

Bella washed the plates from elevenies as she stared out the window. Another snow storm was coming. The sky was a heavy grey and the faint hints of green across the hills would soon be covered in puffy, glittering white. The sounds of hesitant spring would be muffled by the heavy silence of winter. It was too early for spring to begin anyway.

 

“Miss Bella?”

 

The hobbit lass turned with a smile. Kili stood staring intently at her. Bella struggled to stifle a grin at the determination written across the young face. What a serious face for such a young, unserious boy.

 

“Kili?” prompted Bella as the silence stretched between them.

 

Kili answered with thrusting a book into Bella’s face. She just made out his face turning red before the blurred lines of words too close to read filled her sight. Carefully taking the book from the dwarf, the hobbit looked over the opened pages.

 

Bella looked down at the little dwarf with his fly-away brown-black hair. “Did you want me to bake this for you?” She looked back at the bread recipe. They should have all the ingredients and it was a simple bread. They could have it with supper if she started now.

 

“No.” Kili blushed. “I mean yes but I want to help.” He stared up at her pleadingly for a second before adding quickly, “Please, can I?”

 

“Of course.” Beamed Bella. “Now first we should pull out all the ingredients. If we’re missing anything we can go back to the market after luncheon.”

 

The book was pulled from her grasp. “I’ll grab it all!” Shouted Kili. He stared intently down at the page before setting the book on the counter and bounced off towards the cellar.

 

Bella followed after the little boy, “I’ll help.”

 

Together they collected the bag of fine wheat flour, case of sugar, case of sourdough starter Bella kept alive, and jar of precious salt. Placing them on the counter, Bella asked, “Now Kili what does it say we should do?”

 

Kili rose onto his tiptoes to read the book properly. “Um.” He looked up confused. “We’re supposed to combine everything.”

 

Bella laughed warmly and read out the instructions. She had Kili’s undivided attention as she explained measurements and received a beam when she handed him a cup to measure out two amounts of flour. flour exploded out of the bag and all over the two in Kili’s excitement.

 

They laughed together as they tried to get the flour off to only have it spread across their faces and arms. “We’ll clean up after we’re done.” Smiled Bella before she helps Kili measure out the sourdough starter and sugar.

 

By the end of the day Kili proudly presented his lopsided loaf of bread for their meal. The next morning, Kili sitting wide awake in the kitchen was a surprise. The baking book now filled with dog eared pages brought a helpless smile to Bella’s face. “So what are we going to make this morning?”

 

Kili beamed, “Can we try cinnamon bread?” The little dwarf sat up onto his knees and flipped through the book quickly. “Or maybe raisin muffins.. or. or cheese scones.. or maybe-”

 

Bella squeezed Kili’s shoulder slightly, bring his attention back to her. “We can try all of them. You just need to pick one for breakfast.”

 

“We’ll make something every morning and lunch and supper?” Kili asked.

 

“Of course and we can make some sweets like cookies for tea time sometimes.” The brilliant smile that spread across the little boy’s face was perfect.


	7. Nightmare

The faintest hint of blue lit the sky peeking through the window. It took a moment for Bella to realize what had awoken her. She quickly rolled out of bed and out the door. There curled up in a ball, with just a blanket, was Gimli. The little dwarf whimpered in his dozing state.

Bella carefully scooped up the little boy and carried him back to her room. Gimli stirred as she scooped him up and muttered, "mumu." Bella's heart clenched. These boys should be home with their families.

Gimli uncurled as she laid him onto her bed. Half lidded eyes stared up at her. “Sandanukinh.” His dark eyes focused properly onto her, though he was still half asleep. “Kuf garifataizd-mâ?”

“Sweetie, it’ll be alright. You’re safe.” Bella slid her fingers through Gimli’s red hair. “Your parents will come. We just have to be patient. Ered Luin is a large place and the bounders haven’t found a ranger heading in that direction yet. I’m sure once spring comes we’ll have rangers heading back that way.”

The little red head curled up into Bella’s side and muttered again, “Sandanukinh.”

Bella sighed softly at the child as he trembled against her, fighting back sobs that should

come easily from a frightened child. The slavers had visibly affected him, all of them. The little red head was the quietest of the dwarflings. He worried her so.

She laid down by the child and muttered softly, “You can wake me whenever you have a nightmare.” She rubbed circles into his back as tiny hands gripped her nightgown. “You don’t have to struggle over them alone.”

Her door cracked open nearly an hour later, bringing Bella back from sleep. Three little dwarves peaked into the room. Kili whispered loudly, “You sure we should wake her? I don’t want her mad.”

“Gimli’s missing.” Whispered Ori.

Fili nodded, “We have to wake her. I think...I think she’d be mad if we waited for her to wake on her own.”

Bella whispered out, “Boys.” The three looked sharply over at her, guilty expressions written across their faces. “Gimli had a nightmare. He’s in bed with me.”

“Sorry for waking you Miss Bella.” Whispered Fili, the guilty expression growing deeper.

“Nonsense. I want you to wake me when something is wrong.” She leaned up onto one of her arms. “No matter if its a nightmare, a strange sound, or someone isn’t where they should be; wake me up.”

Shy smiles shined at her through the predawn light. “Now, come on, all of you in bed. Lets try and get a few more hours of sleep.”

  
The three boys stood staring at her for a few moments. Kili was the first to scramble into bed and the other two followed. Soon all four dwarflings and one hobbit fell asleep. The sun was high in the sky and the light was shining across them all through the window when they awoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gimli's khuzdul basically means:  
> Sandanukinh -- Purest Green Lady (found in the neo-khuzdul dictionary)  
> Kuf garifataizd-mâ? -Why they steal us?  
> http://www.scribd.com/doc/98387422/Khuzdul-Dictionary-E-K-v01-JUN12  
> I'm trying to give every couple chapters focused on one of the boys. Gimli is the hardest, for all he's the only main dwarf in lord of the rings I can't picture him acting like a little five year old. There will be more focused on Gimli but not for a couple of chapters. 
> 
> Give me ideas of anything you'd like to see happen. It will be a while before the parents show up, which will happen a while after Bofur shows up. So there's plenty of time for cute dwarven shenanigans with hobbit tomfoolery mixed in.


	8. Home

Bella was curled up on the cozy window seat with Ori snuggled up against her quietly reading a hobbit genealogy book and Gimli dozing against her other side. Fili was curled up in her Papa’s comfy wingback chair, reading his own book on herblore. Kili lay near the fire looking over the cookbook for the millionth time.

They had just finished supper. The boy’s were all bathed. It was quiet time before bed, and was peaceful and nostalgic. She used to have this quiet time with her parents before bedtime. She used to curl up in this window seat with her Mama reading over herblore while papa looked over letters or read his latest book.

Bella hadn’t realized how lonely she was until the boys came. She rested her cheek on Ori’s head. It was a wonder that she had ever been content with her books and silent smial.

They were her boys, no matter how long they stayed with her. She would care for them as long as they needed caring for.  They were sweet little boys that deserved to be safe and home. Her home was theirs until the end of her days.

The firelight flickered over the room. The shadows grew long and the boys began to doze where they rested. Ori's eyes fought to stay open as he tried to continue to read.

Bella shifted around until Ori rested solely on the window seat. She carefully lifted Gimli up and carried him to the room they all shared still.  She tucked Gimli in before slipping back to the living area and scooping up Kili.  Resting Kili besides Gimli, Bella went back to scope up Ori. Fili padded after her, rubbing his eyes.

  
She smiled down at the four dwarflings cuddled up together in the big folks bed. Tears welled in her eyes and her hand clenched her dress. She would miss them. Their families will come to take them home and she would miss them so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how short these last few have been but these are small scenes that just needed their own chapters and didn't need many words. 
> 
> The boys have been with Bella for about 5 months now. Springs coming and they all will have more activities outside and around other hobbits. With Spring, hobbit celebrations will come too.


	9. Tea Time Guests

A knock came to the door as Bella pulled out the last batch of cookies. Bella looked over at Kili with a smile. “Don’t touch it.” She ordered before going to the door.

Kili nodded, having already experienced touching a hot pan before, he didn’t need to experience it a second time. He quietly muttered, “It’s hot,” to Gimli as he caught the younger dwarf’s hands.  

Fili and Ori appeared at the kitchen entrance. The three older dwarves shared a look. No one had knocked before. Gimli asked quietly, “Is it Amad? Adad?” The children held their breath. Was it their family?

Excited chatter filtered through the halls. The dwarrow slumped. Those were hobbit voices.

Bella called out, “Boys, some cousins have come for tea! Let me introduce you.”

Fili led the way to the entry hall. Besides their golden haired caretaker stood a family of dark haired hobbits. The elder male had peppered curly brown hair and faint lines written across his face. A wavy black haired hobbit woman stood besides him. The curly, black haired children had to be their sons and daughter.

“This is Fosco Baggins, his wife Ruby and their children.” Bella smiled at the boys, “Drogo is about your age Fili and Dudo is just a little younger. Of course, this is Dora.”  She turned back to her relatives and introduced the dwarflings.

Soon they all were settled in the dining area with Kili’s cookies, a poppy seed cake the Baggins cousins had brought, and a large pot of tea. The hobbit and dwarf boys quietly peaked at each other, uncertain what to think of the others while the ladies were discussing coming spring and celebrations. After minutes of pleasantries and questions on caring for four energetic dwarf boys, Ruby brought up a seemingly delicate matter.

“I hear Georgie is planning a smial of his own.” Remark Ruby.

Bella hummed softly, “That’s nice.”

“He was very nice to you last Lighting Day.” She prompted again.

Bella nodded in agreement before turning the topic over to Dora’s coming out party, as she had recently reached her tween years. The conversation dissolved into giggling and inane conversation about flowers and colors for the party.

The boys, both hobbit and dwarf, were excused and they all rushed out back. Fili quickly demanded of Drogo, “What’s that about?”

“What?”

“This Georgie person.” Explained Ori quietly.

Drogo looked startled, “Oh. He’s the boy Mum prefers Bella marry. Bella has a couple boys interested, I think.” The hobbit shrugged before kicking up some wet snow, “They all resonate with her about the same and not very well at that but Mum keeps going on and on about her needing to marry sooner or later.”

“She can’t marry him!” The older boys looked down at the outraged five year old. Gimli spoke quickly, “Sandanukinh ma kah mahâysîth melekûn! Di mud mahâysîth khuzd! Di nâmad.”

“Gimli-” Spoke Fili.

Kili interrupted, “He’s right!” Kili turned and glared at Drogo, “What makes this Georgie think he can marry OUR hobbit!?!”

“I-I-I..” The hobbit stared in shock at the powerful glare directed at him, “B-Bella has to agree to marry him! It’s not like her pa is still around to decide things for her.”

“Her pa?” Asked Ori, equally confused and curious.

Drogo nodded, “The man of the house gets to decide how girls marry unless they resonate with someone.”

“Drogo resonates with Primula Brandybuck!” Interrupted Dudo, a wicked grin gleamed up at them. Drogo flushed red and started stuttering. “When Primula is old enough they’re marrying!”

“Go play over there!” Cried Drogo as he tried to act like his little brother’s comments hadn’t ruined his plan to look good in front of the dwarrow. “Take Gimli with you!”

Dudo stuck his tongue out before running off with Gimli.

After the guests left for the afternoon and Bella wandered back to the kitchen to make dinner, Ori spoke up in his quiet manner, “Fili, you’re the oldest man of the house.”

Fili thoughtfully remarked, “I don’t think that’s what he meant.”

“We still have a say though!” Ori said fiercely. “Gimli is right, Bella can’t marry a hobbit!” Looked at the older boy. “She can’t, not yet.” He straightened with determination. “Not until we get her to meet our family...She could marry one of my brothers!”

“But what if hobbits and dwarves aren’t supposed to marry, Ori.” Fili rubbed his forehead in frustration, a prickling of tears shone in his eyes. “I don’t want to lose her either.”

“Then we fight for her.” Ori stated matter of factly. “We fight and protect her till we find out if dwarves and hobbits aren’t supposed to mix. And if we find nothing that say it shouldn’t happen then we keep fighting till a good dwarf comes to help protect her.”

Fili nodded after a moments thought. “No one will take her away.”

  
“No one.” Agreed Ori.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gimli's khuzdul words:  
> English Khuzdul Literal meaning  
> mother Amad  
> Father Adad  
> Bella cannot marry a hobbit Sandanukinh ma kah mahâysîth melekûn Purest Green lady to marry hobbit wrong  
> She must marry a dwarf! Di mud mahâysîth khuzd! her to marry a dwarf  
> She's auntie. Di nâmad. her sister mother (couldn't find a khuzdul word for aunt)
> 
> So this chapter was setting up a few things and you get a hint of both hobbit culture and conflicts to come.
> 
> I made this giant chart of all cannon hobbits (and few non-cannon ones) and their known birth years to determine what age everyone is.... Lobelia is seriously a little kid. O_O 
> 
> I was going to have a nice little conflict between Bella and her but now I can't get out of my head how she's 6 years old (which in my mind equals 3 by human standards... hobbits age twice a slowly as humans and dwarves age about thrice as slowly as humans until they reach adulthood then they slow down even more for dwarrow and sort of even out for hobbits).
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	10. Knitting

Bella paused at the studies entry. Ori was curled up in a chair staring out the window at the softly falling snow. No open book lay near him and a sad expression was written across his young, chubby face.

“Are you alright dear?” asked the hobbit lass. Ori glanced at her before shrugging. Bella walked over and knelt by the chair. After a few moments the little dwarf slid over to Bella and the hobbit carefully scooped the boy up, slide up into the seat and tucked the dwarfling onto her lap.

The two cuddled and watched the snow for most of the afternoon. The other dwarflings slipped by, at the corner of Bella’s eyes but never interrupted them.

It was as the land grew dark and dinner time passed by that Ori spoke. “I miss my amad.”

Bella tighten her grip in reassurance, “Your brothers will come for you.”

“No.” Ori shook his head. “I mean....” He whispered, “I miss mama.”

She paused, her mind going a mile a minute. Ori had never spoken about his mother. “Is.. Ori is she waiting at home for you?”

The little dwarfling shook his head and Bella could hear sniffles before he wiped his sleeve across his face. “She’s gone.”

Bella closed her eyes and dropped her forehead down carefully against the top of Ori’s head. “I’m sorry.”

“She left when it was snowin’ like this, when everythin’ was turnin’ green but snow still covered it up.” Ori choked back a sob. “I-I miss her. Dori tells me stories about her but its not the same. Why did she have to leave?”

The two fell silent, Ori curled up clinging and crying softly against Bella. He spoke up again some time later. “She taught me how to knit. I remember her hands as she showed me and I remember her voice as she told me but I don’t remember what she looks like.” His hands tightened, “I don’t remember!I don’ rem’mber!” He cried harder. “I don’ rem’ber!”

Bella laid a sleeping Ori to bed an hour later. She placed a soft kiss on his forehead before going out to make the rest of the dwarrow supper. Memories of the fell winter danced in the back of her mind. Winter was never a happy time of the year. But with all unhappy memories you had to create new, happier ones.

  
The next day Ori broke down into tears again when Bella took him to see Mrs Cotton and purchased the needles and yarn she recommended since the little boy wasn’t in the right state to decided on his own. The soft whisper of thanks on the way home brought an equally soft smile to Bella.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out way sadder then originally planned. Ori wasn't supposed to have a sad moment thinking about his mom. They were supposed to be cleaning a room and found some old basket with yarn and needles but this happened...I hope you all like it.


	11. Heartfelt Worries and Desires

Miss Bella Baggins gave him yarn and needles. She gave him food and a bed. He had access to many, many books. The house was warm and the food was filling. He could focus on anything he wanted without worrying about food or burdening his brother. But most importantly, Miss Bella gave him hugs and smiles and made him feel something he only vaguely remembered.

Ori carefully knitted away as Kili played the fiddle and Fili read a book. Gimli was quietly scribbling across some parchment Miss Bella had pulled out for him. He wasn’t sure what he was knitting but he knew it was for Miss Bella, if it was good enough.

The little ginger headed dwarfling glanced towards the kitchen. Miss Bella took care of them. She worried over them. She had fun with them. Gimli called her Sandanukinh and nâmad but that wasn’t quite right. Miss Bella’s eyes were green and she took care of them like family but she wasn’t Ori’s aunt.

Ori knew what she was to him but it hurt a little thinking of her like that. The little boy clenched his hands around the needles. It hurt to think what his brothers would think if they knew. It hurt to think what his mama must think of him while she watch and waited for him in Mahal’s Hall. He didn’t want to hurt his brothers and mama but... but Miss Bella did everything a mama was supposed to do.

Miss Bella was Ori’s amad and it hurt to think that. It terrified him. What if Miss Bella went away like mama had? He didn’t want to lose her. He didn’t want to hurt his family claiming another woman as his mama. But most of all, he didn’t want Miss Bella to not want to be his new mama.

So he wouldn’t say anything. She would be his mama in his mind and his heart but he won’t tell her or anyone. That way no one would be hurt. That way he never had to learn about how Miss Bella didn’t really want him, that she was just kind to them but didn’t want to be family.

  
She would be the mama of his heart and only he would ever know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ori has been having many feelings lately. Poor little guy.


	12. Fights and Worries

Shouts had Bella running into the living area. Ori rushed after her. His knitting and her book lay forgotten in the library. Gimli peaked through the doorway with wide eyes.

“IT’S MINE!” Bella stared in shock at Kili as he tackled his brother. The boys rolled around the floor punching, pulling and kicking at each other. Most of what the two were shouting was incomprehensible.

“Boys!” Neither dwarfling reacted to her shout. Bella called out a few more times, trying to get them to notice her. Finally she swiftly swept out to the kitchen, collected a pot and spoon, returned to the living area and slammed the spoon against the pot.

The two boys jerked away from each other and her in shock. Gimli and Ori had their hands to their ears and stared wide eyed at her. Bella had never done anything violent-like before. She was their quiet, kind hobbit.

The hard expression she carried only added to the terrible dropping sensation in their guts. Miss Bella was mad. Ori dragged Gimli from the room as Bella set the pot and spoon to the side.

“Fili go sit in the kitchen.” Fili opened his mouth to object but closed it at the cold look she gave him. The little blond dwarf fled with a bowed head. “Kili...”

The little boy glanced up at her through his eyelashes. Tears swam in brown eyes. Uncertainty and fear gleamed in his eyes even as his shoulder straightened in a stubborn line.

Bella knelt in front of Kili and spoke, “What happened?” Kili stubbornly stayed silent. “I’ll go talk to Fili if you’re not ready to explain.” After a moment more of silence, Bella rose.

“He took my fiddle.”

She paused at the entrance and turned back to Kili. “Were you using it?”

“No but...” Kili looked up at her in desperation. His eyes were wide and shining with tears. “It’s mine. I mean its yers but...” He dropped his head.

The hobbit lass knelt back down and asked, “But what?” Kili picked at a loose string on his clothes. “Kili, please help me understand.”

The little boy sniffed and mumbled out, “I’ve never had anything of my own.”

Understanding dawned. “You have always had to share everything with Fili.”

Kili nodded. “Everything we had was his before I came. Then he had to share with me but it was his no matter if I played with something more.”

Bella nodded in understanding. “If Fili asks you to use it, will you let him?”

The burnette's chin jutted out stubbornly. “Why do I have to?”

“We all share our things.” Bella sighed at the little dwarfling, enormously glad she had helped with her younger cousins for years. Kili’s sad puppy look was difficult to work against. “If Fili asks to play it, and you are not using it, you have to let him play.”

“But.”

“No buts.” Kili frowned at her but didn’t speak up again. “Now when Fili comes back in you have to apologize for attacking him and you will be going to bed after dinner. You don’t get any supper or any of the evening activities. Next time you don’t like something try to explain it to Fili or whoever.”  The hurt shine up at her made her blink back tears herself. “Or you can get me. Understood?”

“ahuh.”

“What did I just tell you?” Bella asked, remembering her mother’s advice to always have the child repeat what you said so you knew they had actually heard and understood what you had said.

“uhhh..” After a pause of deep concentration, the little boy said,” ‘pologize to Fee.”

“And get me next time instead of attacking him. What will happen tonight?”

“I go to bed early.” Answered Kili with an unhappy pout.

“Correct. Now I’m going to talk to Fili and then send him in here. Alright?” Bella stood up and brushed her skirts to right them. Kili nodded. Bella smiled reassuringly at the little boy and leaned down to give him a soft kiss on the brow. She turned and left before she could see Kili’s wided eyed wonder and the careful brush of his fingers over the spot she had kissed.

Fili was sitting at the kitchen table. Tears were sliding down his face even as he rubbed fiercely at them. Bella rushed over, “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

“Don’t make us leave!” Plead Fili as he threw himself at her. “Please, we’ll be good! I’ll leave the fiddle alone, just don’t toss us out.” He looked up at her shocked face. “I’m not big enough to take care of Kili or Ori or Gimli. I’ll go, just keep them here. Please!”

“What. No, no-” Fili flinched away from her. “Fili! I’m not tossing you out, any of you. Why would you think that?”

Fili stared at her helplessly. “Because yer supposed to start a family. We’re stopping you from doing that.”

Bella stared oddly at him, “Why’d you think that?”

“You’re supposed to marry Georgie and have lots of kids like the rest of the hobbits do.”

“I’m not marrying Georgie. I can choose to marry whomever and whenever I want.” Bella shook her head at her fellow blond, “We hobbits don’t marry politically.”

“But the man of the house is supposed to choose.” Fili frowned up at her, all thoughts about the fiddle and Kili taking a back burner for him. “The man of the house is supposed to choose who the girls marry and I know you don’t have one here but there must be one.. like Mister Fosco maybe?”

Bella shook her head. “Oh sweetheart, you don’t need to worry about this. I’m the head of the Baggins family and no man chooses the husband of their daughter. They can push issues forward if they think a suitor wouldn’t be able to support their daughter or if he had heard of negative aspects of the suitor’s personality but if his daughter wishes to marry he doesn’t have the ability to say no. He can force them to wait but he can’t truly stop it.”

Fili relaxed at her explanation, “So you won’t be going away and we won’t have to leave.”

“Of course not.” Bella leaned forward with a smile, “Now next time you want to use the fiddle ask first. Now go to Kili he needs to apologize.” The blond nodded and hopped off the chair, “Oh, and Fili if you have any worries like this just ask.”

Fili nodded eagerly and ran out the room. Bella sat back and stared after the dwarfling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The whole marriage talk wasn't supposed to happen and it does seem oddly tacted on in my opinion but what can ya do. XD
> 
> The brilliant elenorasweet has been giving me better neo-Khuzdul translation for all the things these little dwarrow say. So that all will be changed in the next hour. I have also updated general grammar in the chapters (this was done last update and Gimli is now spelt Gimli not Gmili XD).
> 
> I hope everyone is liking the story still :/ I sort of hoped for more comments on the chapters with Ori but oh well.


	13. Family Recipes: Lightening Day Part 1

Bella woke up knowing that spring had finally come. She needed to make her special cinnamon cream scones, pull out the candles and get the boys ready. It wouldn’t be easy as they still wore the random cloths she had around the smial that fit them.

She wandered distractedly into the kitchen, mentally going over the list. The little hobbit quickly pulled together the ingredients to make one of the best scones in the Shire, a Took family recipe passed down from daughter to daughter and the occasional son that showed interest enough.

"What are we making?" Bella jumped in surprise. Little Kili stared up at the ingredients with wonder. "Is the recipe not in the book?"

"Of course not!" Bella huffed in outrage. "This is a Took family secret."

"Secret?"

Bella nodded as she explained proudly. "No ones been able to replicate it in the entire hundred years we've had it. We only make it for parties or family events.”

“There’s going to be a party?” Asked Kili in confusion as he hovered by the table ladened with ingredients. 

“Spring’s come, finally.” Bella paused and regarded Kili. She had almost started with him present. His uncertain hovering and wide eyes made her explain slowly as she thought of what to do. “The first day of Spring is Lightening Day. The day everything wakes up.”

Kili stared up at her wide eyed. “What wakes up? Are there bears or something?” 

The hobbit lass laughed at his question. “No silly. The plants are waking up!” She knew her decision. She had known it the instance she had realized Kili was present. Bella had simply been hesitant, sharing a family secret recipe was no meaningless gesture. “Now, hop on that stool and help me make these.”

The little dwarf was up on the stool within seconds and the little boy almost seemed to understand the importance of the moment as Bella explained the recipe to him. To share a family recipe was to claim the person as family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to have the lightening day celebration in one chapter but I hadn't had time to write until just now and wanted to give you all something, even though it's tiny.
> 
> So there should be 1-3 more chapters on the first of multiple hobbit celebrations. 
> 
> And, yes Kili will find out what sharing a family recipe means. :3


	14. Lanterns: Lightening Day Part 2

The smial smelled of cinnamon as the boys finished second breakfast and Bella pulled out the best clothes she could find for the four little dwarrow. She handed over the clothing to the older boys with instructions to not get dirty. Then she got herself ready. 

She quickly pulled on a simple white blouse and a deep blue inner skirt. Then she hesitated. Usually Bella would wear one of her party bodices with the viscaria flowers embroidered amongst one of the family flower designs but she wasn’t really looking for courting.

Being courted would not be good for the boys but it would cause a minor scandal to not be. She would be announcing to everyone that, at least for now, she was off the market. Not wearing viscaria would tell everyone that she was either in a committed relationship, which everyone knew she wasn’t, or she had decided to focus solely on the dwarrow in her care. 

Bella chewed her bottom lip. Finally she pulled out one of her blue and pink bodices with pear blossoms embroidered across it. There would already be a small scandal with the boys wearing pear blossoms themselves, adding another wouldn’t matter too much.

The hobbit lass quickly finished getting dressed and pulling her hair up in a simple braid. Finally she slipped out to one of the hall closets and dug out her decorative stone and metal lanterns. Bella lifted one up with a smile, watching the light reflect off its glittering red surface. 

“What is that made out of?” 

Bella turned to find the four little dwarrow all dressed in modified and old clothes of her fathers. The Baggins pear blossoms handsomely embroidered across them in the classic creamy white thread her father had preferred. It felt good seeing them all wearing one of the family flowers.

“It looks like a stone.” Remarked Gimli.

The hobbit smiled down at him. You’re right. This one is a rock.” She looked at the carved slightly transparent red stone lantern. “We have a couple of these. The red stone was found when Tuckborough was being built. It’s the Took family color just like these lanterns,” She lifted one for the boys to see. This lantern was a of a sea blue-green stone. “are Baggin’s family lanterns. Every major family uses the stones and metal they’ve found when building their first family smials for the lanterns. Its only right that you use what you pull from the earth. Waste not, want not.” 

Bella handed the red lantern to Fili. “Of course, these not always indicate families but a household.” Bella handed Ori over a different lantern. It was a stone lantern that had a blueish silvery metal ore growing out of the center and shaped just enough to hold a candle in the middle. “This lantern was made from material my papa found when building Bag End. It was one of the first things they had crafted for the home.”

The dwarrow stared wide eyed at the lanterns as Bella turned back to the the closet to pull out two smaller lanterns for Kili and Gimli before pulling out another lantern like the one Ori was carrying. “Now where are those candles.” She muttered to herself as she continued to get everything ready. 

Bella didn’t notice the dwarrows almost reverent care they gave the lanterns. She definitely didn’t hear Fili whisper out, “It’s ruby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the lanterns all look similar in design to this: http://www.homeandpantry.com/homeware/candles-lanterns/filigree-stone-lantern-short
> 
> And yes, you can carve precious stones, google it. There are some seriously cool looking status etc.
> 
> Pear blossoms are one of the Baggin's flowers/plants. Each main family has 2-3 flowers/plants as their insignia basically.
> 
> Pear Blossoms mean Lasting friendship  
> Viscaria (Lychnis viscaria) mean Invitation to dance (and are being used as a sign that female is open to courtships. )
> 
> Next chapter will be the beginning of festivities or one of the dwarves might notice the braid in Bella's hair. We'll see if they can notice anything besides all the different lanterns right now.


	15. Under the Party Tree: Lightening Day Part 3

Each dwarf carried their own lantern which each had a white candle nestled inside waiting to be lit. Bella carried her own lantern, one with the metal ore in the middle, and a basket filled to the brim with the special cinnamon cream scones. 

In the distance a large party under the party tree was already in the middle of things. Tables were filled with food for the early afternoon and smoke trickled out of a few mounds of earth that Bella knew had pigs fattened just for this, cooking away for the evening festivities. 

Children were playing. Adults were lounging about smoking and playing their own games. 

As they grew nearer neat stacks of lanterns could be seen under the tables. Bella set her own lantern amongst those and handed her basket of scones to Mrs Gamgee. She looked back at the boys to find them split between joining the festivities and staring in awe at all the beautifully carved lanterns.

"Boys set the lanterns in the pile and go have fun."

The little dwarrow took a moment more to take in all the glittering and shining lanterns before carefully setting their own amongst the pile. Then they ran off to play.

Bella watched them in contentment. They were growing past their experience with the slavers. The boys were each coming out of their shell, though some more so than others. 

“Bella dear, you’re wearing the wrong outfit.” Exclaimed Lalia Clayhanger with equal amounts of humor and concern. The older hobbit lass was one of Bella’s numerous Took cousins. Bella simply sent her a blank stare.

Ruby came up by Lalia. “Dear are you sure you want to make such a statement?” She asked quietly. “You have a number of promising suitors. That Georgie for instance.”

Bella nodded firmly, “I’m certain on this aunty, cousin.” She shook her head, “I’m not interested in any of them anyway.”

Lalia sighed at her, “Its not common to find someone to resonate with.” She grasped Bella’s arm as if to convince her, “Your parents are rare cases. All your suitors have some level of resonance with you. Please don’t stand back waiting for him. I know you always wanted what your parents had but, Bella, you can’t wait your life away.” 

“I’m not.” Bella looked away from them, towards her little dwarrow. She furthered her explanation, firmly pushed the feeling of painful want to the back of her heart. She had long stop any dreams of finding a hobbit she resonated with. “I want to focus on carrying for the boys. They’ve been hurt and are so displaced.” Looked back at her relatives. “It would only hurt them if I courted right now.”

Ruby frowned at her, “They’re not your children.”

“They are as good as mine until their families are found.” Bella glared at her aunt. 

“And after they are gone?” 

Bella twitched in pain at the idea, “They’ll always have a home in Bag End. They wear Baggins’ flowers. I’ve claimed them. They will have me till they don’t want me anymore.”  
The hobbit lass met the worried stares of her aunt and cousin. Their open concern made Bella relent, “I will start courting again next year.”

The two smiled at her sadly. “Good.” Whispered Ruby.

Lalia squeezed her arm, “I’m glad you have family with you at least. I have always worried about you alone in that smial. It must have been so lonely.” Bella smiled at her older cousin in thanks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ruby is Tanta for anyone who remembers the name of the aunt that visited for tea a couple of chapters ago. I mixed up names and will be going back to fix that. 
> 
> This is becoming more than 3 chapters.... obviously.  
> We still have 2-5 chapters for Lightening XD


	16. Family Flowers: Lightening Day Part 4

Ori couldn’t help but notice that everyone had flowers on their clothing today. His kurâmad always had some type of flower embroidered on her person, as all the girls seemed to have but today was different. Everyone had flowers, even the men whose work would leave their clothing very messy.

The little dwarf knew today was a festival, and a grand one at that (why else would they use such lanterns?) but he hadn’t thought about the flowers on his own clothing till seeing others in flowers too. The dwarrow were wearing old clothing of Miss Bella’s papa. She didn’t have many options to give them. Though, admittedly, the clothing they wore usually had little to no flowers on them. 

Ori stared a little longer before deciding he needed a second opinion. The ginger quickly spied his fellow dwarrow standing amongst Drogo and other less familiar hobbit boys. Running over, he pointed out the flowers to Fili but while Fili and Kili were looking around in interest at the new revelation, Drogo spoke up. 

“We’re all wearing our families flowers.”

“Family flowers?” asked Ori in confusion.

The little black headed hobbit stared back in similar confusion, “Each family has a flower or two that tells others an important quality of the family. We Baggins,” Drogo gave a inclusive nodded to the dwarrow, “wear pear flowers to represent our quality in friendship. Once we make a friend we stay friends. It takes quite a insult to end a friendship with us. Of course we also have the flower hydrangea to show our perseverance in all things. We don’t usually wear those though, they’re a little complicated to embroider.” 

The four dwarflings looked at each other in mild bemusement. Flowers had meanings? Those little weeds had importance?

“You should learn about the Baggins flowers, maybe the Took ones too since you’re family now.” Added Drogo.

Their heads snapped back to Drogo and the dwarrow stared wide eyed at the boy. After forcing the lumb down his throat, Ori croaked out, “What?” 

The little hobbit stared confusedly at them, “You’re wearing Baggin’s pear flowers. Bella claimed you has a Baggins, as her children. That’s what pa told me.” The little hobbit looked around before leaning towards them and whispering. “Pa said Bella told mum that exactly. Said you’re her boys.” Drogo beamed at them, “So that makes us cousins!”

Drogo started when he saw the looks on the dwarrow. They all seemed in various states of losing it. Tears were in all their eyes. The little hobbit watched as the four dwarflings looked around and ran off back towards Bella. Drogo ran off to find his own mum. Had he done something wrong?

Ori was the first of the dwarves to reach Bella. He burrowed himself against her and couldn’t help but whisper out “kurâmad” over and over again. Ori couldn’t care that the others heard his whispers as they burrowed against her themselves. 

Bella wanted them. _Bella wanted them. She wanted him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kurâmad - mother of the heart or heart mother to be more exact


	17. Braids: Lightening Day Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all are amazing so here's another chapter. 
> 
> For anyone just checking the update out, there are two chapters for today 9/5 on my side of the world.

Hands carefully slid through his hair. He could feel the familiar, and long yearned for, feeling of hands tugging his unruly red hair into braids. His nâmad was careful as she worked his hair into an unfamiliar braid. It wasn’t a dwarven braid. It didn’t have any meaning he knew, though he had honestly never paid any mind to the teachings on that. 

It didn’t matter either way. The braid was his hobbit braid. It was the braid that marked Sandanukinh’s claim on him. The flowers apparently named him her family but the braid made more sense to him.

Gimli leaned into Bella as she finished the third braid. He would have her remake his braids every day. When his amad came the braids would go down to one as he need his other braids but Sandanukinh would continue to make his one braid. 

The little dwarf’s eyes slowly fluttered shut as Bella turned her attention to Kili’s hair. His nâmad had confusedly agreed to braid their hair once they had stopped squeezing her to death and had decided to go by age when they started to fight over who got to be braided first. 

Gimli contently fell asleep as Ori shyly explained the importance of braids to Sandanukinh. Braids told many things and the clasps and beads told even more. Gimli smiled as he began to dream of the braids he could place in his aunts hair. He snuggled close to her side as they lounged under the party tree, the blanket keeping the still hard earth from digging into his back. 

Maybe one day he would make a bead from the blueish metal of Bag End and weave it into her hair, proclaiming to all dwarves that she was family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nâmad - aunt  
> Sandanukinh - Purest Green Lady, Gimli's name for Bella  
> amad - mother
> 
> I still don't know about how I write Gimli.... but here is a chapter about braids. Did you all need a chapter of Ori explaining them to Bella? I feel that most stories on here make them important so I wasn't going to go into details unless Bella thinks about them or brings it up for some reason.


	18. Lighting Lanterns: Lightening Day Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to get Lightening Day completed. Enjoy, the next chapter will be out sometime next week.
> 
> Stuck a belated note at the bottom about the poem.

The afternoon slipped past the dwarrows as they rarely left their hobbit’s side. She weaved braids into their hair and chatted quietly with the other hobbits lazing around them. Drogo dragged them away for games every once in awhile but they always came back. 

It was as the sun fell from the sky that the games came to an end and the hobbits began collecting their lanterns. The roasting pigs were pulled from the pits and musical instruments were brought out. Thick strands of rope were lowered from the party tree and a large lit candle was slowly passed around. 

The boys returned to Bella to find she had their lanterns at the ready and once the lit candle came to them she pulled out a thin stick whose end was covered in a flammable material. It lit up with a small flame and she turned to them. Bella, along with most of the hobbits spoke (some giving a small amount of musical tilt to the words).

Golden beams of Northern Tower  
Southern Beacon of Silver Streams  
Lit the world so the plants could play  
Ancient shadows tore them down  
And winter claimed all around

The the sky lost much of its light from the sun as they spoke. The hobbit with the large lit candle blew it out.

Our lady sang and the Griever wept  
Two trees sprang from the hallow depths  
The days went by with light anew  
From twin trees that mirrored broken lanterns  
Yet shadows came and claimed them too  
A song was sang and tears were shed, once again

The sun rose from a fruit so we might grow food  
A flower grew and became the moon  
to protect all from woe  
As the shadows grow 

Bella knelt down in front of Gimli and handed him the stick as they continued speaking.

And so, as winter falls to life renewed  
we light our own lanterns to endued the land with food  
and make shadows stay below

Lanterns were lit one by one all around the field. Bella guided Gimli to light his own lantern before giving each boy the lit stick in turn. Soon the entire field was glowing with glittering lights. Bella and other adults took a lantern each and attached it to the rope hanging from the party tree and it was soon full of lanterns where leaves would sprout over the month.

Then the party sprang back to life. Lanterns were placed on tables and hung from poles that had been holding up fabric for shade during the day. The pigs were carved, pies were uncovered, more kegs were tapped and the music began. 

The night grew deep as the hobbits partied. Bella danced with each of her dwarflings, teaching them dances between joining in the story telling of ancient days where trees walked the world to protect its kin on their Ladies plea, of the song that brought everything to be and each part a person had in it, and of shadowed creatures that tried to change the song and twist it into something it was not. 

It was only as pre-dawn light splashed over the sky that the party broke apart, lanterns were carefully taken down from the tree and the hobbits of hobbiton walked home by the light of their family lanterns. Bella contentedly carried Gimli and held Kili’s hand as she slowly followed the half awake Fili and Or back to Bag End for a lazy morning in bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Totally forgot to explain the poem thing I made! O_O
> 
> sooo if you know anything from the similarion you may already realize what the poem is about but if you go look up Yavanna and Aule you'll learn about the great lamps that lit the world. They were destroyed and so Yavanna and Nienna worked together to bring light back to the world. The great trees Laurelin and Talperion were the results. Those were then destroyed. This time Yavanna and Nienna could only save so much. They got a fruit from Laurelin and a flower from Talperion. The fruit became the sun and the flower became the moon.


	19. Brothers Ri

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh plot, it has reappeared to only vanish for more chapters of cuteness next.
> 
> Oh and Surpise! Another chapter! ^______^
> 
> For anyone that was confused by the poem last chapter I went back and added a proper explanation. 
> 
> For anyone who doesn't remember a poem, you missed a chapter.

Snowmelt slid down the indents in the rocky path down from the small mountainside town. Ramshackled wooden houses came into view as he stomped up the hill. He had been gone these past two years seeking fortune in the lands of men. 

To return home and see nothing had changed was disheartening. Dwarrow were still wearing the same overly worn leathers, looking exhausted from overworking themselves in the less than mineral rich coal mine the town had been built near. There were many towns like this filled with Erebor refugees. 

The western houses had offered this land for them but there was little but coal and iron to mine and craft with. The mountains were infested with creatures of Sauron and it was dangerous to try and claim caverns to setup proper homes. 

The agreement made the refugees spread out as the Firebeards didn’t want too great a city established within their realm with no claim to it. That made it impossible to settle within the mountains. It had been tried multiple times by the small groups at great loss. So the dwarrow of Erebor were forced to live above ground in wooden houses barely kept together by what metal they could spare. Most metals had to be used in trade for food. 

The traveling dwarf passed many kin who seemed less than happy to see him. They hurried away without a word. After having so many pass in such a manner (they had no reason as he had neither stolen from any of them nor had he kept his stolen goods from aiding them), he rushed home. Pushing the door open with a loud squeaking sound, a hopeful shout startled the dwarf.

“Ori!?!”

“Ah, no. Sorry Dori.” The dwarf shouted back as he looked around the shockingly cluttered and dirty home. It hadn’t been cleaned properly in ages. Stomping feet announced Dori’s presence. “Is Ori out?” The dwarfs words faded as he took in the olders appearance. 

Dori’s hair was in disarray, worse than his unkept clothing. Silver strands were pulled from his intricate braids and going every which way. Dark circles hung under exhausted, red rimmed eyes. 

“Nori.” Dori choked out. “Ori… Ori’s gone.”

Nori’s eyes widened, “What!” He stepped forward. “Yer supposed to protect him...How’d he…”

Dori flinched but then shook his head. “I’m sorry. I took my eyes off him for just a minute or two and then he was gone.” Pain twisted across Dori’s face, his hands clenched into fists. “I’m sorry.”

Silence stretched out between the two before Nori took a step forward and guided Dori to a seat. “What ya mean by gone.”

The silver haired dwarf groaned softly and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. “No one can find him. We’ve looked everywhere. Its almost been a year.” Dori looked grimly at Nori. “He’s simply vanished. Lost in the wood to be found by trolls or goblins or to simply freeze to death.” His voice cracked. “Grion’s been saying that we’d find his body when the snow melts. Been saying it after the third month of searching.” 

“Grion knows shit.” Muttered Nori as he began to undo his older brothers unkept braids. His hands trembled slightly as he pulled out his brush and worked his brothers hair back into order. “Ori’s alive. He’s got to be and we’ll find him. Just ya see, the little twerp will be back, safe and sound in no time. He must’ve gone to one of the other towns. Ya know he’s been wantin’ to visit some, go meet the royals and all up in Thorin’s littl’ caves.” 

A pained smile spread across Dori’s dark expression as he admonished his little brother, “Those aren’t little caves. They’re the beginnings of a proper town in the mountains. I hear that they’re planning expansion. Lord Thorin’s been in meetings all winter with the Firebeards to re-negotiate our living here.” His smile faded back to nothing, “We’ve checked all the neighboring towns.”

“Aye well. Someone must know somethin’” Nori turned to the house and began picking items up. “Best be rightin’ the place least Ori comes and thinks he’s got the wron’ house.”

The two brothers worked in silence the rest of the morning. Neither said anything when one found a sketch or yarn or little mittens and struggled to not breakdown. The house was slowly put to right.

Nori gave his brother a firm hug, ignoring the shockingly thin frame hidden under layers of clothing. “I’ll find him. Ya put yourself to rights and I’ll send news once I know more. Ya know as well as I Ori won’t go off on his own like this. He’s not dumb as a rock like some dwarves ‘round. Stop listen to Grion. He’s been a bastard since ya refused his advances.”

Dori sighed heavily. “Nori, he couldn’t have gotten far. He’s too small to have survived winter, too young to understand what to do.”

The thief headed for the door but paused and gave a reassuring smile he didn’t believe himself, “Oh aye but Ori is a smart little one. He knows where the other towns are here abouts. I’ll go to them see what I can find.” Nori sent a glare his brother way. “Now no more wallowin’. Ori will be distraught if he saw ya now. He’d blame himself and get in a right state himself.”

“Take care of yourself too.”

Nori nodded. “I’ll send word.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we now know whats going on with Nori and Dori. We get an idea of living conditions for most Erebor refuges in my head cannon and Thorin's Halls have not yet been properly established (I believe he sets those up in some old dwarven hall in the south of Ered Luin but this all is going on more north in my head).
> 
> Dori is basically on the verge of accepting Ori's death and Nori just found out so he's off to find Ori himself.


	20. Spring Cleaning and Reorganizing

The four dwarrow stared at Bella. She was running around with a strange stick that had feathers attached to it, swiping the device over everything. The windows were all open. Blankets and tablecloths could be seen hanging outside. There were stacks of the wool and heavy down blankets from the bedrooms sitting besides a stack of lighter looking blankets. Various items that had rested in places for display lay in a pile by a box. 

They had simply gone with Mrs Baggins to play with Drugo and Dudo. It was only a few hours ago and they come back to this. Whatever this was. 

Bella finally noticed them and beamed, “Boys you’re back.” She paused and seemed amused at her obvious statement. Shaking her head, Bella put the feathered stick down and directed them to follow. 

She led them to the bedroom they had all been sharing. “I’m doing some spring cleaning, necessary you know with Spring finally here. And, anyway, I was thinking.” 

She waved her arms out at the bedroom. “You all don’t need to share a room between all four of you. I have two other rooms. You boys could nearly take a room each. Gimli would have to share with one of you but its close. Or you could break up into pairs and share a room each. What do you think?”

It didn’t take much thought for the four to break out into various grins. Kili shouted out, “I’ll bunk with Gimli!” and Fili and Ori shared a look before nodding in silent agreement with each other on being roommates. 

Bella laughed warmly at Kili’s exuberance. “Well why don’t we go to the market after the tailors tomorrow to get a few things for your new rooms?”

The boys cheered and ran off to the two empty bedrooms. The next day each boy happily helped pick out a few items of their own. Kili claimed a another cooking book to add to a small shelf Bella decided to purchase for his and Gimli’s room. Gimli surprisingly added to the cooking book with asking for a few poetry and hobbit storytelling books. 

Ori got a patterns book for knitting along with a small sketch pad. Fili took a few history books Billa didn’t have and decided on a small potted plant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but somewhat necessary chapter. I didn't go into details of the tailor since the important part of their new clothes happens a little later...


	21. Gardening

The dark, moist earth fell from the shovel. Slowly the little dwarf flipped the potted plant upside down and carefully freed the green weed into his hand. He quickly flipped it upright and pushed the plant roots and dirty into the new hole in the earth. 

Fili tilted his head back and forth before nodding, pleased to see that the plant was in line with the last one he had transplanted, as Bella called it. His nâmad was a few feet away trying unsuccessfully to get Ori to transplant one tomato plant. Fili couldn’t blame Ori for disliking this whole concept. 

The only plants that seemed to make any sense planting were the carrot seeds Gimli had placed in a row before going off to play with Kili. The blond didn’t know what use a tomato plant or pumpkin plants or those cucumber plants would be but Bella claimed that it would be fun taking care of a small garden. So here they were planting weeds.

And not very well at that. Fili glanced disgruntledly over at the haphazard transplanted plants Kili had done. He hadn’t placed them in proper rows or anything close to such. Fili huffed in annoyance when he noticed the little sign with Kili’s name on it. Gimli had a similar sign near the carrot seed rows. Those were the plants Bella had decided to place under their care. So as much as Fili wanted to, he couldn’t go fix the rows Kili messed up. 

Fili took the shovel and made another hole. Even though he didn’t really get this whole garden business, Fili did find it peaceful. 

Bella finally gave up on Ori and picked up a few of the potted plants to place in Fili’s small pile. She knelt down besides Fili. “Very nice rows Fili. You’ve left a good amount of space between them.”

Fili grinned up at his nâmad before noticing the plants she had brought over. They were different from his plants. “What are those.”

“Hmm, oh they're herbs. This one is rosemary and this here is basil and-”

“Their the plants you’ve been teaching us about! The ones the help heal people?”

“Oh,” Bella laughed warmly, “Yes, some of them are. I have some others in different parts of the garden already. I’ll show you if you’d like.”

Fili nodded eagerly. The morning soon grew old as Fili was introduced to all the different plants he had read about. Now this made sense, growing plants that could help illness and hurts. And it had the added bonus alone time with his auntie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fili is our little gardener, though he holds a very specific interest.


	22. Mewlips

Bella curled up in the window seat reading a book on histories of Angmar. Ori was knitting away near her feet. Kili was dozing on the usual spot on the floor, his head burrowed in another book. Fili was outside with a book on herbs, trying to identify some more of the plants he had read about. Gimli was humming while drawing on the floor besides the window seat.

The little dwarf mumbled a few words every once in awhile as he worked with great care on his little doodle. Bella couldn’t keep the smile off her face when she caught a few words. “ever ever on, Under cloud and under star. Yet feet that wandering…”

Bella glanced down at Gimli. She had only sang that song a few times and always at bedtime. She doubted any of the other boys would be able to repeat any of the poem turned song. 

“Gimli,” Bella asked, “Would you like to learn some songs and poems?”

The little dwarrow tilted his head at her for a moment before asking, “Do you have any about battles?”

Bella blinked blankly at the boy. “Uh no..” Gimli frowned at her and began to shake his head, “But! But I know one about creatures in the dark.”

Gimli thought about it for a moment before shrugging, “Well, alright.” The little dwarf set aside his charcoal and clamored onto her lap.

Bella wrapped her arms around him and tutted softly, “Now lets see, how did it begin…Ah, yes.” She looked down at Gimli and spoke with just a whisper for added effect.  
“The Shadows where the Mewlips dwell  
Are dark and wet as ink,  
And slow and softly rings their bell,  
As in the slime you sink.”

Ori paused in his knitting to listen in, his eyes growing slightly wide.

“You sink into the slime, who dare  
To knock upon their door,  
While down the grinning gargoyles stare  
And noisome waters pour.

Beside the rotting river-strand  
The drooping willows weep,  
And gloomily the gorcrows stand  
Croaking in their sleep.

Over the Merlock Mountains a long and weary way,  
In a mouldy valley where the trees are grey,  
By a dark pool's borders without wind or tide,  
Moonless and sunless, the Mewlips hide.”

Bella continued the common childs poem, created by some ingenious gentlehobbit to scare adventure out of any fauntling who heard it. The effect seemed the opposite with Gimli as at the end he charged out of the room and came back with a stick for a sword. Ori claimed Bella’s lap though and Gimli didn’t dare go far from Bella the rest of the day. 

Gimli happily repeated most of the poem nearly word for word to Fili and Kili. Then Bella slightly regretted telling him that particular poem as she had four overprotective dwarrow cuddling around her the rest of the day. 

She made a silent note to not repeat the tradition with any other child that came into her care. While she loved the cuddling, she could do without the children being so concerned and scared. She had never seen a child take the poem so seriously but then she had never had a dwarfling or one that had seen the darker side of the world hear the poem either. 

Bella tried to distract them with a game of riddles and silly poems the rest of the evening. And by the next morning they seemed to have forgotten all about the mewlips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little hobbit tradition gone wrong and Gimli being fairly awesome with remembering poetry.
> 
> the poem is by Tolkien. You can read the entire poem here: http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/The_Mewlips
> 
> It is actually a poem by hobbits. You can learn more about mewlips here: http://www.tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Mewlips


	23. Greens

Bella Baggins stared at the little dwarrow and he stared right back, his nose wrinkled in disgust. A plate of carefully cooked and flavored brussel sprouts sat between them. Kili sat at the end of the table eating the surprisingly sweet vegetables, the first ones he had helped cook. Tomorrow he would get to learn how to slow roast a lamb shoulder. Right now, Kili got entertainment with Bella and Ori fighting over greens.

“No.”

“Yes.”

Ori’s bottom lip perturbed and his arms folded in front of his chest. “No.”

“Kili’s eating them.”

“Kili would eat a coal-burnt cookie.” Kili remembered the poor cookie he had stuffed in his mouth yesterday. It was so burnt it had basically been a piece of coal. He’s mouth still wasn’t the same after getting rid of the evidence of his distraction. At least it had only been one cookie that had fallen into the flame while Bella was busy chasing down a muddy Gimli. 

“He wouldn’t.”

“He did.”

Bella turned sharply over at Kili, “Kili!”

The little dwarfling shrank back. “Uh..”

“Open your mouth, you better not of burnt yourself!” Bella demanded in open worry. Ori slipped out of the room while she was distracted. 

“I’m fine!”

“Open your mouth now mister!”

Kili scowled before obeying. Ori so owed him.


	24. Thread

Kili watched in fascination as Bella embroidered a pear flower over the collar of one of his new shirts. They all had gotten their new clothing today. It seemed like ages ago when the boys had last worn clothes that fit properly. 

They all had gotten simple dark brown pants that, as all hobbit pants, only reached halfway down their shines. Ori had mostly light gray shirts with white and baby blue pear flowers embroidered on the nicer ones. Fili had rich blue shirts with cream pear flowers on the sleeves of the formal shirts. Gimli got mostly white shirts with brown and red pear flowers embroidered on some. 

He had gotten light blue shirts for the most part. The pear flowers were embroidered on his collars in a deeper blue and dark green. Kili liked it well enough. Aunt Bella had a way with thread. Watching her reminded him of his amad when she mended a shirt or pant of his. Kili felt the tears well up after a while. He tried to not think about his parents. It hurt thinking about them.

“Are you alright Kili?”

Kili flopped down so his head rested in his aunt's lap. “I miss amad.” Kili bemoaned. “miss adad.”

Bella set the shirt and thread aside and started rubbing circles onto Kili’s back. “There should be a ranger heading to Ered Luin soon. They’ll be brought here. Your parents will come.”

The little burnet simply burrowed into her lap and dozed off. His hands kept a firm grip on Bella’s skirts even as he slipped into a deeper sleep. The hobbit lass continued rubbing circles across his back. Her mind wandered in worry. She hadn’t heard from the bounders about any ranger sightings recently. Her cousin’s coming of age party was next weekend, marking halfway through spring. Where were the rangers at?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so Kili getting all depressed wasn't part of this chapter... It was supposed to be Kili's thoughts on Bella but oh well. Another time I'm sure.


	25. Home Sweet Home?

He had expected one of two tiny boys to collide with his legs, the other going for their father’s. He hadn’t expected his little sister to throw herself into him and break down in his arms. He hadn’t expected the haggard appearance of Gloin, Oin and Balin. 

Thorin had been looking forward to being home after a couple of years away. Between traveling as a smith and negotiating with the redbeards, Thorin hadn’t had much time to relax. Vili and Dwalin’s companionship only went so far in helping him deal with idiotic, greedy humans and hotheaded firebeards. 

“What’s happened?”

Gloin grimaced as he explained, “The boys have gone missing.”

“What?!?” Hissed Vili. He stepped forward and place a hand on his wifes shaking shoulder. “Dis?”

Dis turned to her husband and sniffed out, “Someone’s taken my boys.” She looked up at him, tearful fury gleaming in her eyes. “When we find the bastards, I’m going to gut them and feed their entrails to goats.”

Vili’s blond brows shot up into his hairline, “Ah, of course ya can do that love. I’ll hold them and you punch.”

Dwalin growled, “So Fili and Kili are missin’. We got any leads?”

“Gimli was taken also.” Balin added.

“Definitely taken, though?” Asked Thorin as he rubbed his forehead, fury slowly bubbling up.

“Their caretaker was found dead, blade wound in the gut.” Oin shouted a foot from Thorin. The exiled dwarf king grimaced as the headache grew sharply at the shout. Oin still needed to get one of those hearing horns and stop insisting that he was as young and able as before Moria. 

“Do we have any other information?” Demanded Thorin. 

“We’ve been looking since they were taken near about a year ago.” Gloin spoke, his voice cracking. “We haven’t found any leads and any lead vanished when winter settled around here.”

Vili frowned up from his wife, “Ya think it could be them Firebeards? They’ve been whining about these cavern homes we’ve been building for longer than a year.”

“And they’ve been whining about getting a marriage contract between us Durin folk and them nearly as long.” Growled Dwalin.

Balin frowned, “But why resort to kidnapping? What good would that do them?”

Thorin sighed, “They’re more interested in the Durin blood than rights to these caverns.” The black haired dwarf looked coolly over at Balin, “They have brought up Erebor at times even. They do not want these caverns built into a proper city but they want claims to our land and home when the time comes to reclaim it.”

Grim frowns stretched across all the dwarrow. Silence stretched across the room, heavy with the grim thoughts of what had been done to the little boys and heirs to Durin’s line. 

Dwalin broke the silence with a frustrated growl. “If this is true, what can we do?”

Balin answered just as frustrated, “Wait and prepare to return for more negotiations.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the dwarrow thoughts are restricted to fellow dwarrow taking their boys. Makes sense I hope, since dwarrow like to keep to themselves they wouldn't really know why some other group would take them. 
> 
> Of course at this point news of the other missing dwarflings haven't reached their ears. Once that happens they'll realize their mistake. :3


	26. Of Bounders and Ill-gotten Suitors

The party tree was filled with deep green leaves and the area around was filled with lights (Baggins teal blue lanterns hung from posts), tables were covered in food, and flowers decorated the area: pear flowers, hydrangeas and viscaria.

Dora was the center of attention amongst her peers. Everyone was dancing. Everyone was eating. Her coming of age party was a raving success.

Her boys were laughingly learning a complicated dance under the watchful eyes of Lalia. Bella’s smile fell slightly. She hadn’t had the chance to go speak with one of the bounders at the party yet. The hobbit looked around. She knew there were a few partying amongst everyone but she couldn’t quiet spot any feathered caps yet. 

“Bella.” 

She turned and plastered a pleasant smile on, admittedly startled by the greeting. Bella still only wore her families flowers. The male hobbit before her should be leaving her alone. 

“I was wondering if you’d honor me with a dance.” Said the brunette hobbit, giving a charming smile as he looked slightly down at Bella. 

“Georgie I’m not intereste-”

His smile fell, “Bella, come on. Its only a dance. Those dwarves aren’t going to begrudge you a dance, are they?” Bella stared slack jawed at him. To dance with him would imply that she was in a committed relationship with him since she wasn’t wearing the courting flowers. Georgie grabbed Bella’s arm carefully but firmly and leaned inappropriately close, “Those boys will be gone soon enough. You really aren’t going to postpone our union because of them. The next dwarf that comes through can take them to their family.”

Bella yanked her arm free, fury rising in her chest. “I don’t have time for this right now, Georgie.” She hissed, “You should go look at courting girls open to it. My priorities are those boys and there is nothing between us.”

She stomped away with her hands clenched. How dare he! Bella grumbled under her breath for a few minutes more before pushing her fury aside. She would have time later to fume over that idiot. Right now she needed answers. Then she needed to just have fun.

Bella finally spotted a bounder near some punch. She walked over quickly and asked, “Do you have a moment?”

The hobbit smiled charmingly at her, his eyes flickering over her. His smile dropped to a more courteous one when he noted her embroidery. “Yes, ma'am. What is it you need?”

Pleased to find one male that paid mind to her decision to not court, Bella explained quickly, “I’m caring for the little dwarrow saved from the slavers. I was told that I would be informed the moment a ranger was found going to Ered Luin. The ranger is supposed to be brought to Bag End.” Bella paused to pull in her frustration. “I just.. No ranger has been brought over to talk with the boys. Do you know what’s going on? There’s usually a few watchers around by now.”

The bounder sighed, “Sorry love.” Bella jerked at the words and the bounder shifted, turning pink. “Apologies, uh... believe I’ve had a touch too much to drink.” He coughed and looked away from her before explaining properly, “There are a few rangers around but none are headed north towards Ered Luin. We’ve given them all the few details we know about the lads in case any of them run into some group of dwarrow looking for them but as it stands we just don’t have anyone heading in the right direction yet.”

He glanced at Bella for a second before turning away again, face still flushed, “There’s been some conflict near Tharbad this past winter, apparently. Most of the watchers are still down there taking care of things.” He shrugged helplessly, “The rangers around have all said about the same thing, none are expected to make this way till later summer. None were sure any rangers would be headed towards the mountains this season either.”

Bella’s shoulders drooped at his words. The bounder spoke up, “I’m sorry ma’am. There’s not much we can do.”

“Thank you.”

He nodded, “I’ll be sure to send word if I hear anything new.”

Bella nodded before heading back towards her boys. A mixture of feelings fluttered through her chest. Elation at the boys staying longer. Pain at knowing they would be separated from family for considerably longer than she, and probably they, had realized. Bella couldn’t help but wonder at what their families were thinking. She didn’t want to ever be in the same position. 

Ori ran up to her and grabbed both her hands, “Kurâmad! Dance?” 

Bella smiled down into brown eyes, “Of course.” Ori beamed up at her before dragging her out onto the dance area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, more plot XD


	27. A bouquet

A bouquet was waiting for her by the mailbox the next morning. Bella hesitantly picked it up before helplessly smiling. It was a sweet gesture, though one she had no plans on reciprocating. Bella wandered back into Bag End, passing Kili and Fili without notice. Her hands carefully traced the petals on the lovely flowers. 

She didn’t notice the boys following her as she pulled out a vase and carefully situated the bouquet into it, making sure to keep the embroidered ribbon holding it all together put. After Georgie’s actions that other day, Bella had despaired over her choices next spring. 

While she didn’t want to marry and had no really plans to do so with any of the suitors she knew about, she had a family to please. If spring came and she opened herself to courting again, as she had agreed to do, but didn’t actually accept any courtships her family would get involved. All of them, even the distant kin outside of Hobbiton.

The fact that her distant kin consisted mostly of the Took clan made it even more important to figure things out. It was never a good thing having the Tooks come help out. Nothing ever ended the way it was supposed to with them involved. 

This bouquet gave her a plan though. 

“What is that?” Interrupted Kili.

Bella looked down at the disgruntled dwarfling. “It’s a bouquet, Kili. You give such to people you care about.”

Kili frowned over at the bouquet, “Who gave it to you?”

“A Greenhand, see the ribbon has sweetbrier embroidered on it. That’s the Greenhand clan’s flower.”

“What’s the other thing embroidered on it?” Asked Fili as he leaned up to get a better look of the ribbon. Kili pulled out a stool and clambered on it so he could also see. 

Bella rubbed her thumb over the design, blushing slightly, “Winged seeds.”

Fili’s brow grew together in confusion. “Why?” 

The hobbit didn’t answer right away thinking over the flowers meaning once again with a deepening blush and slight smile. While she had no desire to marry any of the Greenhand boys, this gesture was sweet and did give her some level of enjoyment. A girl had the right to enjoy such a message without actually wanting to respond to it in kind. “It means that I should read the flowers because the message is important.”

Kili leaned over and poked one of the flowers. “What’s the message?”

Bella’s face turned a deeper red. “Oh… well…” Bella looked away from the boys and pointed out each flower and plant in turn, firmly reminding herself that the boy’s did need to learn the flower language (and since they actually asked...), “Sorrel for affection. Tarragon for lasting interest. Gorse for love in all seasons. Holly for hope and forget-me-nots for remembrance. All wrapped in straw for united and the ribbon to show who its from.”

Bella smiled as she stared at the sweet gesture and couldn’t help but wonder over which Holman boy had sent it to her. To think someone was willing to do such a thing. 

“But what does that mean?” Asked Kili in frustration.

Their hobbit explained with a smile, still surprised and enjoying the idea of the message. “It means I have an admirer that’s willing to wait for me to be ready to court again. He hopes I won’t forget this message by then.”

Bella tugged carefully onto one of the braids in Kili’s hair before leaving the room. She was too light hearted from the bouquet to notice the horror radiating from the dwarflings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter insisted on coming out next.... if that makes any sense. Uh, its a mit awkward placing it after the last chapter but oh well. (any ever notices how odd awkward is spelt? O_o)


	28. Plans on Protecting Nâmad

Kili sat on the stool with his head resting on the counter, glaring up at the vase of flowers. It wasn’t right. Some hobbit couldn’t come and take their Bella away. The blushing smile she had worn while talking about the flowers came to mind.

His glared deepened and a spark of worry filled him. She had liked the flowers, the message hidden within them. What if she wanted to marry this hobbit? She had said she wasn’t courting now but the flowers meant she would court someone some day. Courting leads to marriage. Marriage leads to children. Worry grew as thoughts of their hobbit forgetting them as she started her own family. 

Kili’s mind ran rampant with worries and fearful, nightmare like scenes of her leaving them all alone. He didn’t pay any mind to Fili dragging Ori into the kitchen and telling him about the flowers. Kili did notices the roar that came from Gimli, who had followed them, though.

Fili quickly covered Gimli’s mouth and hissed out, “We’re not going to let it happen. We just need to keep everyone away from nâmad.”

“We can’t keep everyone away from her.” Whispered Kili, “There’s too many of them!”

Ori looked thoughtfully at the bouquet. “Well, no.” He looked over at the brothers with a determined set to his jaw. “We just need to keep the males away from her. One of us has to be with her at all times. We have to stay between them and her.”

The other three dwarrow nodded in agreement. Gimli ran out of the room, calling back, “I’ll be with her now!”

Ori left, muttering about a book on flowers and their meanings. Fili looked down at his brother. “You alright?”

Kili frowned up at him, “I wish uncle was here. He’d keep all the boys away from her. He’d protect her.”

Fili nodded in agreement. “I bet she’d make him smile like amad gets him to sometimes.”

Kili’s eyes grew wide and a hopefully grin grew, “She should marry uncle!”

“Ori wants her to marry one of his brothers.” Whispered Fili, his nose wrinkling at the thought.

The younger dwarf glanced back at the flowers, “Better than a hobbit but I still think uncle would protect her more. No hobbit would dare cross uncle, he’s too scary!” Kili suddenly grabbed his brothers arms, eyes wide with worry, “What if uncle scares auntie away!”

Worry flickered across Fili before a scowl replaced it. “We'd kick him till he’s nice to her.”

Kili hesitantly nodded back. That didn’t sound like the best idea but if it kept auntie from leaving then he guessed he’d help kick uncle. Of course uncle wasn’t here yet. His eyes wandered back to the flowers and a scowl re-appeared. They had hobbits to keep away first.

The next day, Kili latched onto his nâmad’s skirts and firmly kept himself between her and any male that walked by, especially the one at the butchers that been eyeing her since they first came to the market with her. Fili and Ori wandered near while Gimli placed himself on Bella’s otherside. No one was going to take their hobbit away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this was sort of regurgitating other dwarflings thoughts but I always figured Kili was one of the people that didn't worry about abstract issues. Before the flowers male hobbits taking Bella from them was an abstract issue. Now its not, so he's finally worrying about it.
> 
> oh yeah,  
> nâmad - aunt  
> amad - mother


	29. House of Stone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short chapter, both because I have no time to write a longer one and this didn't feel like it needed more.

The house was too quiet. There was no shouts, no pounding of running feet, no laughter. The small house was barely shapened out of the natural cavern.

It was supposed to be the beginning of a home. 

Yet, now it would forever be the place she had lost her children. It would always be tainted, never safe, never warm. It would only be some cavern in a mountain that took almost everything from her.

Dis curled up besides her husband, wooden swords resting in her lap. She hadn’t had the heart to pick up all the random things her boys had strewed across the house. Their clothing still lay across the floor of their room. The bed was still unmade. 

Cleaning up their messes would have made it final.


	30. Touching Gardens

Ori stared with narrowed eyes. The hobbit shifted around in discomfort, glancing over at the staring dwarfling every few moments. Bella noticed none of this as she looked over the gardens carefully. 

His kurâmad had tried to leave them all with Mrs. Ruby Baggins and Drogo for the afternoon. Ori had refused, claiming that he was interested in seeing all the places his kurâmad needed to visit for rent. One of them had to stay with her at all times and he knew he was the most likely to have an interest in the process of collecting rent. It was boring on a certain level but Ori was very glad he had come. 

The hobbit giving his mama googly eyes was a Homland Greenhand. 

The flowers had come from a Greenhand. Ori took great care in keeping himself between Bella and the male hobbit. Ori wouldn’t call him a gentlehobbit like Bella claimed was appropriate. Sending flowers to his mama with a message like the one he sent couldn’t be proper!

“Homland, you’ve certainly learned how to care for a garden. I think you may be better then your father!” Remarked Bella warmly, fully unaware of the increased glare suddenly directed at the poor, blushing hobbit. 

“Thank you Miss Bella. Da still won’t let me touch your garde-ns-I-I mean BAG Ends.” Stuttered out Homland, face turning a deeper red. Bella, herself, flushed brightly. Ori slammed his foot into Homlands shine. Drogo had told them about what “touching” someones gardens meant. Ori would have none of that!

The little dwarfling felt very smug as he suddenly found himself being carried away from the Greenhand house. Bella’s admonishments didn’t dampen his feeling of accomplishment at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about how short this one is. I wanted to get something out for this story. It would have been longer but I woke up with a migraine today. So yeah...
> 
>  
> 
> Art! I have fanart you all must go see!!!!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/971527 
> 
> Ajir is awesome for making these for me!


	31. A Couple in Mourning

Nori trudged through the mud as he followed the directions given. Weeks of searching further and further away ram-shackled villages finally brought him a lead. Or at least a hint of something more than Ori simply vanishing. 

The redhead paused outside a ram-shackled house. On its door was a thick streaks of mud, what would have been thick ash from a forge. At the foot of the door lay a broken hammer. A sign of mourning and a sign that someone believed the people living here had been forsaken by Mahal. 

If the whispers were true and the couple within had lost a daughter then there would be many that believed one or both had done something to incur Mahal’s disdain. It was a waste of a good hammer. Nori kicked the broken hammer to the side. He wasn’t a suspicious person, usually he left such things to run their course but this hit a little too close at heart.

The thief knocked on the door, careful to not disturb the wet ash. Nori had to knock multiple times before movement was heard on the other side. A dark haired dwarf answered the door. 

“what?” Bit out the dwarrow. Nori could see a dwarrowdam staring at him with red rimmed eyes back near the lowly lite fireplace. 

“Apologies for distrubin’ ya durin’ yer mournin’ but I am searchin’ for my little brother. He went missin’ ya see, near abouts the same time ya little one had vanished.” Nori gave a bow, “Nori at yer service if ya’d have me.” 

The dwarrowdam came to the door, desperation written across her exhausted face, “Ya mean me daughter may be living?” 

Nori grimaced, “I know not, ma’am. That’s what I’m tryin’ to figure out. If ya could give me any information about what happened, I might be able to start doin’ some figurin’.”

“Your service is welcome. I’m Werek and this is my wife Nola. Where about are ya from, friend?” Asked the dwarrow as he stepped out of the way and motioned Nori to enter. “And when abouts did ya brother vanish?” 

Nori carefully avoided the pile of little children things. “My brother vanished by the waning of âfghelekhvust, Master Werek.” Nori looked back to the couple. “We live down southward, near where the lower breaking of the Lune leaves the mountains. About a week in.” 

“That’s near a month from here. How’d it possibly relate to our girl vanishing?!” asked Werek with a deep frown, a hint of fury bubbling up in his voice, “It was the end of ghuregbuzramerag when she was lost.”

“That would be 3 weeks between their vanishin’.” Countered Nori quickly, “Plenty of time by beast.”

The dwarrowdam hissed out, horror glowing in her eyes along side the reflection of the firelight, “Taken by the southern road.”

“But the only ones traveling from the mountain are men!” Growled the husband as he started to pace. “All the lads would be returning from to the mountains by then.”

Nori shared a grim stare with his fellow dwarrow. “The only option is that, isn’t it?”

“That or we’re pullin’ at strings.” Whispered the Nola, a hollowness filtering into her voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this took a bit between real life and Nori insisting on sounding intelligent and dwarvish when talking about the time frame Ori vanished. (Which led to investigations of moon phases etc and realizing that the neo-khuzdul already had it all figured out xD)
> 
> Their month and year system is lunar based
> 
> So the Khuzdul:  
> âfghelekhvust - Good Health Month (9th - approximately end of june and most of july)  
> âfkidhuzabad - Gold Mountain Month (10th - approximately rest of july and most of august)
> 
> celebration:  
> ghuregbuzramerag - (” Deep Ale Fest” / Harnkegger Fest) – 9th till 19th of ‘âfghuregablug 
> 
>  
> 
> you can learn about details of celebrations created by Neo-Khuzdul people here: http://dwarrowscholar.mymiddleearth.com/2012/04/27/dwarven-festivals/
> 
> you can learn about details on the months created by Neo-Khuzdul people here: http://dwarrowscholar.mymiddleearth.com/2012/04/27/the-dwarrow-calendar/
> 
> Obviously Werek and Nola are made up by me. 
> 
> Hope you all like!


	32. Invitation

Clouds slowly wandered across the sky and a soft wind filter across the land, ruffling through the myrtle tree giving them shade over Bag End. A butterfly landed on his nose. Bella smiled as she watch the sleeping dwarfling wrinkle said nose as the butterfly slowly tapped its feet down to Gimli’s furry cheeks. 

Ori lay on his stomach nearby, a large book open in front of him. Kili and Fili had slip away doing whatever two mischievous brothers did on a lazy afternoon. Bella carefully shooed the butterfly away before it woke the little boy. Then she turned back to her mail, particularly one letter. 

A birthday invitation to her uncle’s, Hildifons Took’s, 80th birthday lay opened before her. They would certainly be going, though traveling all the way to Tuckborough was long for her. Taking four little dwarflings with her would make the all day trip even longer. They may have to break the travel into two days.

All the same, the trip would be made but that wasn’t so pressing. They had nearly a month to head to her mother’s home. No, the card brought something much more important to her attention. 

At least one of her boys must have missed a birthday celebration by now. Ideas flew through her mind. That wouldn’t do, not at all. She would have to fix that immediately.

There was so much to plan! There were invitations to make. There were presents to get, things to be ordered, food to be requested! 

Should she leave it a surprise or ask the boys what they wanted to do? Bella frowned over her conundrum the rest of the afternoon. To ask or not? It would be oh so much fun to surprise the boys but at the same time what if dwarves didn’t have huge celebrations for birthdays? What if she did something terrible wrong?

She didn’t want to ruin such a day for her little ones.

Ori helped her out that evening when he happily went through some of the mail, sounding out words and working hard to read less then legible writing. The little boy seemed to enjoy the challenge. Bella thought nothing of the matter until Ori gasped. In his hands was the birthday invite. 

Birthdays weren’t celebrated in huge fanfare unless it was an important year. Most had family and close friends come celebrate under the party tree or at the person own home if a larger, more important party was set for the same day. Besides Dora’s coming out party, there hadn’t been any major events this year.

Ori ran over to Bella and scrambled onto her lap to show her the invite, “It’s a birthday!” His eyes were round. The other boys came to look as Ori stared up at her with an earnest look, “Will we go?”

Bella couldn’t help but be amused, “Well of course, you can help me write our response in the morning.”

The four immediately responded with excitement and chatted away about the birthdays they had been at. She quickly learned two important facts. The boys had never been to a birthday party for someone not in the immediate family and they brought gifts instead of receiving them. 

“Boys!” Bella had to explain before they got too carried away. Worry flickered in the back of her mind, this could put a damper on her plans. “Boys, this will be like Dora’s party except the birthday host gives his guests gifts as a thank you for coming and a way to thank the Green Lady for his life.”

Fili frowned up at her, “So… we don’t bring gifts but receive them?”

“Yes exactly.” Explained a relieved Bella. 

“That’s amazing!” Shouted Kili, a grin splitting his face. “We should go to more birthday parties!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XD


	33. Missing Children

Dis sat at the throne. Thorin, Vili and Balin had headed back to the Firebeards within a few days of being home. They would come back with her sons and Gimli, even if they destroy any chance of keeping these caverns as a budding city. Children were more important than getting a musky old set of caverns as a potential home. As terrible as that was, none would begrudge their actions.

Children were everything.

Another set of dwarves were allowed in for an audience with her, as she represented her brother and the Erebor throne. 

Gloin stepped forward and spoke, “What’s ya grievance?”

A dwarrowdam stepped forward with tears in her eyes. “Me boy has gone missin’!”

A dwarf that had to be her brother, they looked too similar to be anything else, rested a hand on her shoulder. “There were four children in our village and they were watched over by one of our elderly men. One evenin’ last year, near when Winter was about to begin, we came to collect littl’ Fieri to find the caretaker dead and the children missin’.”

Dis’ heart sank even as the dwarrowdam explained how they tried to find the children. They came here in hope of help from their leader and the nobility here. Dis finally spoke, “We will do what we can to help. Please give all the details you have to Master Dwalin. The more detail the more we have to go off.”

Dwalin quickly took the dwarrow to the side allowing Dis to flee to her rooms.

It wasn’t long before Gloin and his wife, Brimli, stomped in followed by Oin and Dwalin. 

“This isn’t good.” Shouted Oin grimly. 

Dis fiddled with some papers as she thought everything through, ignoring the argument like conversation Gloin and Oin always went through when high strung. The important, terrible fact was their children weren’t the only ones missing. This was bigger and worse than they had thought.

“The firebeards wouldn’t steal this many children.” Said Brimli over her husband and brother-in-law’s shouting conversation as she walked over to Dis. Brimli carefully took the court papers from her hands before Dis wrinkled them too badly. “Master Thorin and them are goin’ to the wron’ place. They ain’t there.”

Dis nodded grimly as she spoke, “The children could be there but we need to warn them before they do something irreparable. We need to find out how widespread this is.” Dis turned to a grim Dwalin. “How far away was that village at?”

“Only two weeks north.”

Gloin spoke up, “We’ll split up. Dwalin and I’ll go in the opposite direction and search out other children goin’ missin’. Oin’ll go warn Thorin. We might want to get the lad who came about the four missin’ children to help search out how far this goes.” 

The princess frowned over the plan before nodding, “See about getting more dwarrow to help the search and get the word out that children are going missing. We can’t have more lost.”

The dwarrow bowed and nearly ran from the room. There were lost children to find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Working on getting this story a little more condensed. I originally planned it out with far less plot and more random, cute chapters with Bella and the children but I think you all would like this to have a fairly structured plot now that one has really shown up. 
> 
> There will still be chapters that seem to have little reason beyond the cute factor, though all chapters actually have a purpose.


	34. Fishing, or Not

“We’re going fishing!” Bella should have kept the idea in her mind and never voiced it.

The hobbit lass should have known the boys would take the opportunity to do something very unhobbitish. She loved the boys deeply, truly she did. It’s just that sometimes she wanted to strangle them. Bella should have never taken them to the lake for some nice calm fishing. The hobbit stared helplessly at the four, her heart hammering away in her chest.

The boys were in the lake. They were in the deeper part of the lake. 

_Swimming._

Bella helplessly clutched whoever’s clothes she had in her hands to her chest. She just knew they were going to drown. She just knew it. 

Except, they didn’t. By the time Bella felt the shock fade and her voice return it became very clear that dwarves could swim and swim very well (much better than hobbits at least, who couldn’t swim at all really). 

Bella sank helplessly to the ground and watched the boy play in the water happy and carefree as can be. She slowly relaxed as their joyful laughs helped slow her heart. Then Gimli moved a little too far in.

“GIMLI!” Screamed Bella. The four perfectly alright boys jerked violently over towards her. Her terrified stare met their worried looks. She forced herself to calm again and call out without sounding like someone was dying. “You’re not to go that far in...How about-how about you boys come out and dry off by the sun. Once you’re dry, the fish should be back and we can catch some.” 

Bella was grateful that the four obeyed without question or complaint. She didn’t have the heart to stop Gimli from settling, nude and soaking wet, into her lap. On the contrary she snuggled right up with him. 

They were _never_ going swimming again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a chapter about fishing but the boys decided they'd rather get naked and swim. XD


	35. Chapter 35

Fili peaked up at Bella as she carefully wrote across another decorative parchment. He couldn’t quite see what she was writing but she had been working on it all morning long. There was a whole stack of the parchment at her side, folded and stamped with the Baggins wax seal. 

What could his nâmad be writing so many letters for? 

“Nâmad, what ya… What are you doing?” Asked Fili.

Bella paused in her writing and looked down, giving Fili a considering look and a hint of curiosity she had always sent when she heard their khuzdul. “Well.” Bella tilted her head in thought, “If I tell you, you cannot tell the others. Agreed?”

Fili’s eyes widen for a second before he gave a charming smile (one that amused Bella greatly, the boy would be a charmer in a few years) and nodded, “I can keep secrets.”

The hobbit lass leaned down and whispered, “They’re birthday invitations.”

His eyes widened again, “Is your birthday coming up?” He whispered back.

“No..Yes-I mean sort of.” Bella shook her head, “It doesn’t matter, these aren’t for my birthday.”

Fili frowned at her, “Who are they for then?”

“Well, I was thinking that you all would enjoy having a birthday party.” Bella suddenly frowned, “I guess I should have asked if you knew when your birthday was. I simply assumed you boys wouldn’t know it, or at least not in a way I would be able to understand.”

Fili’s eyes were now permanently huge. “My birthday is the sixth day of waxing of âfanak.” The little dwarf blinked. “Oh, I don’t know what âfanak would be by hobbit reckoning.”

Bella smiled at the little boy, “I had a feeling. Do you mind sharing a party with the others?”

The little blond shook his head quickly back and forth. “No. It’ll be great!” He smiled widely at her before a thoughtful look replaced it. “Could I help?”

“Oh.” Breathed Bella. “Yes, you can help with most of it. I want there to be some surprises for you too but you could help pick out all the presents for the guests and help figure out what games to have set out and such.” 

Fili grinned, “Can we get wooden swords and play dwarves and orcs?”

Bella gained a faintly pained expression, “Well maybe. How about we try that game with my Took cousins first. If they like it we can see about having it as one of the games for the party. I’ll have some of the children introduce you boys to conkers. That might be a better game to play.” 

“Conkers?” muttered Fili with a confused frown.

Bella’s eyes lite up and she dived into explaining the game to her fellow blond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you guys want me to continue giving khuzdul translations for words that are used all the time, like aunt?


	36. Party Plans, Secret Parts and Lobelia

It was very important business, planning a birthday party. Fili followed Bella through the marketplace, listening in as she paused at certain shops to order this and that. She sometimes asked what he thought about the items to order - like what meat he’d preferred or what veggie would Ori possible eat. 

There was a great deal of planning involved. His Nâmad had even gotten the Party Tree for the event! It would happen a week after midsummer. They would be going to Tuckaburgh for the other birthday party first but there was so much to plan for this it made sense. 

“Fili, would you be a dear and go look at the toys. We need to pick out ones for both boys and girls. I’ll be stopping over there to talk with Uncle Bodo for a minute.” Bella interrupted Fili’s thoughts, waving her hand over at a shop they had never been in before. 

“Uncle Bodo?” Frowned Fili.

Bella shrugged with a smile, “He’s Lalian’s father. You’ll meet him at some point. You’d recognize him, he’s been around.”

“Alright.”

“I’ll be over in a few.” Beamed Bella as she pulled out a folded piece of paper and tucked her covered basket in at the shoulder. 

Fili shook his head, still mildly confused over the basket as he wandered over to the toys. Bella hadn’t placed anything in it yet but it looked heavy. Fili glanced back at the Proudfoot store. Maybe this was one of those surprises his Nâmad wanted to have for him! 

A smile spread as he turned back to the stall. Now what toy would be prefect for the other kids. Fili looked over the display, he wouldn’t pick any of these personally as there weren’t any soldiers or wood weapons but hobbits were small, fragile things. They shouldn’t be running around with swords or anything of the like. Fili picked up one of the cloth girl dolls with a thoughtful frown.

A snidy voice broke through his excited thoughts. “You have hair on your face.” 

Fili looked over and down to find a little girl, about Kili’s age. “Your point?”

“It’s not very hobbity.” She sniped. 

Fili stared, “I’m a dwarf.”

“Mama says you dwarves shouldn’t be here!” She said with a scowl. “You should be back in your stinky mines!”

The little dwarf stared some more. He hadn’t heard anyone complain about them being here before. Everyone had been so nice but did they actually think that?

“You shouldn’t be bogging Miss Bella Baggins down. She’s supposed to be marrying Mister Georgie!” The little girl continued.

“Lobelia Bracegirdle don’t make me get your mother!” 

Fili started at the cold words coming from a familiar voice. A hand settled on his shoulder. Fili looked up to find his Nâmad glaring at the little girl. Said girl ran off under that glare. 

“Nâmad?”

Bella’s glare softened to a worried look as she knelt down in front of him. “Are you alright? Don’t listen to her, those Bracegirdle try to emulate us Baggins but go too far. All they care about is the appearance of property when what matters is family and caring for each other.” 

Fili nodded. He already knew what mattered. He stepped into Bella’s embrace all the same. It still hurt knowing that some people didn’t want them there. It wasn’t till much later that Fili realized Bella didn’t have a basket anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for anyone that doesn't know Lobelia is 6 years old. That's cannon people, Lobelia is a little child till Bilbo's about 50 - then she's in her late tweens really. (she'd be 22 years old, just saying)


	37. Tooks

Bella decided a change of scenery would do everyone good so she sent a letter off to her Took kin to make sure they could visit longer than the few days surrounding the party. She got her answer two days later with a knock at the door. 

Gimli opened it before she could get there and Bella couldn’t help but sigh over the narrowed eyed distrust Gimli sent the visitor. Whoever was at the door was a male. That expression had started showing up lately whenever a male was nearby - especially Holman.

Bella quickly walked the rest of the way and heard the warm greeting from the person at the door, “Look at the wee little thing!”

“You sure he’s a dwarf? He’s so small.”

“He must be, look at the fluff on his cheeks!”

The hobbit lass sighed as she placed a restraining hand on Gimli’s shoulder. The dwarf looked ready to murder the two hobbit lads standing at her door. Sometimes Bella knew she had to be older than these two. She greeted the two with another sigh at the sight of the the pony tied to her mailbox. “Sigismond. Flambard.”

“Little Bell!” Cried the slightly blonder male. 

“I’m not your little anything, Sig.” Scowled Bella. 

The other, Flambard, simply grinned, “You’ll always be the little Bell, cousin. It’s not our fault you didn’t get a more interesting name!”

Bella huffed before pulled Gimli to the side and allowing the two in. “They’re some of my Took cousins dear. The only harm they’ll cause is to my pottery.” Explained Bella kindly to Gimli. 

The little redhead simply claimed a firm hold onto her shirts and shuffled behind her as she went after her cousins. Bella couldn’t see the narrowed eyes as the little dwarfling proceeded to contemplate the two hobbit lads. Sigismond had a very wide eyed Ori in his arms.

“Sigismond put him down.” Said Bella.

Sigismond lifted Ori higher, exclaiming, “I thought dwarves were big hairy things! To think they’re actually little cute things with fluff on their cheeks. Aunt Milla has more hair than them!”

“Aunt Milla has more hair than everyone.” Countered Flambard as he continued to have a staring contest with Kili. Suddenly he turned away, towards Bella and, with a wave of his hand back at Kili, announced, “I like this one.”

“You can’t have him, either of them. Sig put Ori down now.” Sigismond shrugged as he set Ori safely down. Ori helpfully kicked Sigismond in the shine before fleeing to the hall to peak into the room at them. Kili followed after Ori after a second more of staring. 

“Now you both show up between 2nd breakfast and Elevensies.” Bella’s arms folded in front of her. “That’s rather rude.”

Flambard groaned and flopped down into one the wingback chairs in front of the fireplace. Sigismond ignored her as he openly stared over towards Ori with continued interest. Flambard bemoaned, “Don’t be all proper now! You’ve been taking care of dwarves, you can’t tell me you still have that Baggins stuffiness!”

Bella rubbed her brow. “Why are you here?”

Flambard grinned faintly over at his little cousin, “We’ve come to help you and the little dwarflings head to Tuckborough!”

Sigismond - having finally stopped starring the the children and settled into the other wingback chair - peaked up over the wing of the chair, exclaiming excitedly, “We brought a pony!”

“The party is not for two weeks!”

“You asked if you could come early.” Countered Sigismond. “Now! Boys lets go pack.” The hobbit jumped out of the wingback chair and beamed at the dwarrow staring with mild terror. “Com’on, com’on! To your rooms. You need a few days worth of clothing, any books you want I guess - Bella was always bringing books with her. She probably turned you all into little bookworms like herself. Always knew she’d have a bunch of bookworms for children…”

Bella stared after her cousin, listening to him ramble till his voice faded away as he entered Fili’s and Ori’s room. “Flambard?”

Her other cousin simply shrugged, “You asked if you could come early and we all have heard about the little dwarrow you’ve claimed. It was about time for us to meet them.”

“Well.” The hobbit lass sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Knowing her cousins, they’d camp here till she agreed to go with them. “Alright, I’ll go pack.” She knew when she was defeated. Bella looked down at Gimli, “Do you want to collect Fili from the garden?”

Gimli nodded, his eyes never leaving Flambard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bella's Cousins:  
> Flambard(age 37) is the son of Isembard Took. Isembard is a uncle of Bella's.  
> Sigismond(age 34) is the son of Hildibrand Took. Hildibrand is a uncle of Bella's. 
> 
> Fanart!!!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/988462 by elenorasweet (The Gimli in the image is perfect for the beginning of this chapter)  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/971527 by ajir


	38. Cottontails

Ori was less than thrilled by the interest Sigismond piped in him. He had spent the better part of the day traveling close to Bella, avoiding the hobbit that had picked him up without asking. Ori had done a fair job at ignoring him until now. 

“There’s a fair few cottentails out this way.” Said the aforementioned hobbit to Bella, a slingshot in his hand. “Between the two of us we should be able to get a good dinner!”  
Ori felt a little affronted at himself. He had never been interested in any weapon before, preferring books and writing to all that “nonsense” as Dori put it. Sure the tricks Nori could do with a dagger were fun to see but he had never felt any desire to learn them. 

“You know I haven’t used one of those for years.” Countered Bella. 

Sigismond rolled his eyes at his little cousin but Ori was the one to responded first. “Can you teach me?” Ori ignored the beam from Sigismond and turned to his mama. “kurâmad, can you? Please?”

Bella stared in surprise at Ori even as the other dwarrow spoke up with similar interest. Sigismond pronounced cheerfully, “I can teach you boys the finer points of a slingshot!”

The dwarrow ignored him as they all turned their attention and puppy eyes to Bella.

“Well I-” She stared helplessly down at them. “Alright, alright.” The dwarrow broke out into cheers. “We can have the first lesson now; its a good time for a break.” She spoke up over the excitement. 

Bella took Sigismond’s slingshot and led the boys off the path. “Now we have to be quiet and stay upwind when hunting. I don’t expect anyone, myself included, to get any rabbits. This takes practice. Now first you need to know how to choose the proper rock…”

Sigismond pouted after his cousin and her throng of children. “But I offered first.”

Flambard clapped his little cousin on the shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll grow on them.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this was a pain to write... originally it was supposed to be Kili noticing Flambard with a bow but that wouldn't work - I couldn't get past the first sentence and I wrote that exact sentence like 12 times. Then, giving up on that, I decided to try and skip the two day trip with crazy Took kin to Tuckborough but that wouldn't write either... -_-
> 
> But at last Ori decided he wanted to see a slingshot and Bella - who wasn't supposed to know anything beyond Conkers decided to jump in front of Sigismond shouting "I know how to do that!"
> 
> So... uh yeah XD
> 
> I think I'll go write a chapter with adult dwarrow in it next. At least I don't have to deal with Tooks then.


	39. Firebeards

Thorin entered the meeting room followed by Vili and Balin. The firebeard lords Raut, Vakral, and Belhad resided in tall throne like chairs. Their heirs and sons (Rov son of Raut, Vorn son of Vakral, and Delthal son of Belhad) sat on their rights in chairs with lesser backs. Thorin stiffened at the sight of the three stools placed for their use on the other side of the table. 

Though the insult was great, he could do little but ignore it. Thorin may be the direct heir of the Durin line and Erebor’s throne (and Khazad-dûm’s throne technically), he had no real kingdom. He was a prince with no power. Thorin was a leader of a lost people, fighting for the rights that would make his people’s lives easier, more fulfilling, less degrading. But he fought with nothing but ancestral backing. 

“Sit.” Stated, ordered Lord Raut.

Thorin shifted to brace his feet into a firm stance. “We have little desire to sit.” Thorin glared coldly at the firebeards. An internal struggle to not destroy any hope of both regaining his nephews and keeping the chance of creating a proper hall within Ered Luin stayed his tongue. 

Vakral raised a braided eyebrow, “You’ve returned sooner than we expected. Have you thought over the agreement? Which nephew will marry my daughter?”

Vili stepped forward with a scowl. “Neither! Ya slack-jawed daffodils need to return them before we even think of agreeing to yer demands!”

Thorin grimaced at Vili’s fury filled words. He knew he should have left the dwarf at home. Yet Vili had more right to stand here demanding his sons back than Thorin did. 

“What are you implying!” Demanded the usually silent Lord Belhad. 

Thorin had always preferred Belhad’s silence over his superiority issues. All the same though, Thorin spoke up with a growing scowl, these dwarrow will not blindside them. “My nephews and a distant cousin has been taken from their homes. Their caretaker was killed by dwarven steel. None of my kin would take the heirs of Durin from their mothers-”

Vorn jumped from his seat with a snarl. “You think we’d dare take a child from their mother!”

“You’ve indicated enough how much you want Durin’s blood!” Roared Thorin. The bottled up emotions finally exploded. Thorin continued, ignoring Balin’s silent plea to calm. “You dare demand one of my heirs. You demean my people with restricting our guilds and allowing only minor mining endeavors! You endanger my people by demands of population restrictions per area, leave many to struggle at defending their homes from orcs and trolls! We are forced to live within wooden houses and work under men to scrap together food!” 

Thorin snarled at the firebeards. “We gave you a home when you lost yours back when Khazad-dûm stood tall! This is your thanks for our kindness! Now you step further and take our children!”

Belhad snarled back, “Be gone! We gave your people land and places to live! You dare claim we stole children you must have failed at keeping alive! You shall have no aid from us! Your caverns will be emptied by next summer. If any of you Ereborian dwarrow still reside there we will not discriminate as we clear those would be halls of vermin!”

Vakral roared out for guards as Thorin, Vili and Balin moved to attack. Thorin was able to take out a few of the guards before someone slammed him in the head and the world went black. 

It would be the next day that the three awoke in a ditch some miles from the firebeard’s hall. Their weapons and gear were all intact. A scroll was found in Thorin’s pack describing further restrictions to their guilds and the closure of the caverns Thorin had hoped to make into halls of his own. 

They had lost a possible home, made their people’s lives harder and were no closer to finding Fili, Kili and Gimli.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This came out much easier. And so now Thorin's Hall will never exist, if anyone was curious what some of this was about and didn't know about said hall.
> 
> Also, I couldn't think of dwarvish insults for Vili to call the firebeards so I went looking. 
> 
> slack-jawed daffodils was what I found that worked with the sentence, it was originally Cows but I felt that might be more of a hobbit or human insult.
> 
> And on a similar note, I found this insult but may never be able to use it: 
> 
> "Ye call that a beard? I'll show ye a BEARD! /drop pants"
> 
> I feel that there needs to be a lovely one shot with that one shot as a focal point. Maybe a drunk Gimli in rohan or something... or Dwalin....Gloin could do it too.


	40. Thick as Theives

Kili stared around the village as Flambard led them through the marketplace. Multiple hobbits were shouting out greetings to his aunt and Bella called back in turn. There was more hobbits around then he had ever seen. The marketplace was at least twice as large. Kili could even spy men and what might of been a group of elves. 

It was all very busy. There was so much going on that Kili couldn’t help but dart his eyes around every which way. He wasn’t the only dwarfling craning their heads to see through the crowds. 

It took a good twenty minutes for them to get through the market but once they got past the crowd it only took a few minutes to reach the grand entrance to the great ancestral Took Smial. Kili stared up in wonder at the large hill. Unlike Bag End, this smial’s entrance was near the bottom of the hill. Yet there were windows and chimneys covering the entirety of the grassy mound. 

Ori spoke up after looking in equal interest at it all, “How large is the smial Mister Flambard?”

Kili looked over at their hobbit guides in time to see the disappointment flicker across Sigismond. Sigismond was oddly interested in Ori and it had happened before Ori proved to be skilled at the slingshot (something Fili couldn’t get a hang of at all, though Kili had sworn never to tell a soul about where Fili had gotten all the whiplash like bruises on his face). Kili glanced at Fili with a faint grin. His older brother scowled back, clearly understanding where Kili’s thoughts had traveled. 

The dark haired dwarfling turned back to the conversation as Flambard explained proudly, “The entire hill is hollowed out and most of the rooms have proper windows. Of course all our Took smials are interconnected. We’ve taken up all the hills around here. They make a nice, proper circle too. The center of it all is a nice little valley with myrtle trees. That’s where the birthday party will be at.”

Sigismond pulled one of two handles on the red circular door. The door split in half as one side slid open. Then the blond hobbit almost skipped into the hallway calling out, “We’re homeee and we bring wee little dwarflings!!!”

Bella caught Gimli before he could follow Sigismond into the room. “Best wait outside.” Explained Bella even as a loud ruckus echoed through the hall. A moment later the hall was filled to the brim with hobbit children of various ages. The four dwarrow soon found themselves dragged off in separate directions by various happily chattering faunts. Kili was vaguely aware of some adults dodging through the children towards Bella but soon he was gone and he couldn’t really care all that much. 

The dark headed dwarfling wasn’t sure exactly how this had happened but adrenaline spurred him on instead of pausing to think things through. Kili scrambled after the fauntling he had met a few hours ago. The little brunette hobbit divided into tall grass. Kili followed and the two lay silent in the grass. A moment later one of Bella’s aunts came scrambling past in search of the little thieves. 

The faunt grinned at Kili as he pulled out two steaming cream stuffed muffins, handing Kili one of them. “I haven’t had anyone help out with a heist for years.” The little hobbit clapped Kili on the shoulder. “This’ll be a grand old time.”

Kili grinned back. “Ferumbras, right?”

The hobbit grinned back, “Ferumbras Took the III at your service.” Then he stuffed his face with muffin.

“Kili at yours!” Laughed Kili. After munching on their ill-gotten goods the dwarf spoke up again, “I should probably go find everyone.” 

“I guess,” Ferumbras shrugged, “Auntie Bella saw you leave so she knows you aren’t lost or nothing. Though pa will probably want us to be at tea.” The hobbit stood up and swiped of the crumble evidence on his shirt and pants. Kili cleaned himself up, looking around. The tall grass edge what Kili was fairly sure was the center Flambard described. There were trees like the one above Bag End that had ruby lanterns hanging amongst leaves and there were a few long tables with benches sprawled across the area. 

A hand was stuck in his face. Kili looked up at Ferumbras before taking the offered hand and finding it being shaken up and down. “Good doing business with ya. I got another heist I’ve been planning for a bit now. If your interested I’ll give you the details tomorrow after second breakfast, fair?”

Kili couldn’t help but grinned excitedly, “Fair!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote the title of this chapter feeling like I was doing a slight disservice since it probably made some of you expect Nori.


	41. Puppy Love

Gimli peaked out from behind a door. He had been following some interesting faunts about his age when he had heard it. The little red head stared with a soft blush on his cheeks. A lovely, older blond hobbit lady sat in a winged chair staring at a flustered younger hobbit. A small crowd of hobbits stood around them, many with their pipes lit.

“Really, you can’t guess?”

“Uh.. can you repeat it?” Stuttered the younger hobbit. Some of the other hobbits standing around gave various noises of amusement and mild disgust. 

“Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?” Repeated the blond female.

The younger hobbit started muttering, repeating the riddle to himself. A timer on the table to their right dinged. The younger hobbit flushed in embarrassment as he moved from the chair. A hobbit lass took his place. The timer was twisted and the new challenger quickly spoke out a riddle to the reigning champion. 

“What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?” 

Gimli frowned over the riddle. It was a difficult one, unlike the last. Even he knew that last riddle was about fire. The blond hobbit lady responded after a moment, “A river.”

The confident hobbit lass’ shoulders slumped as she nodded. Gimli thrummed with excitement over his blond lady’s triumph. She was absolutely brilliant. 

Her brilliance grew as she spoke a riddle the hobbit lass couldn’t possible have the answer to, “Pronounced as one letter, And written with three, Two letters there are, And two only in me. I'm double, I'm single, I'm black, blue, and gray, I'm read from both ends, And the same either way. What am I?”

The hobbit lass openly groaned at the riddle before bemoaning, “I spent ages on my riddle! It was supposed to stump you.” 

“So you give up?”

“Yes Auntie Rosa.” Sighed the lass as she gave up her seat to the next hobbit, an older gentlhobbit. 

“Hello love.” He greeted. Gimli bristled silently at the words.

His Lady Rosa smiled in turn, “Hello Hildigrim dear. I hear that Bella’s come, have you seen her?”

“Not yet.” He grinned at her before giving a riddle, “From the beginning of eternity. To the end of time and space. To the beginning of every end. And the end of every place. What am I?”

Gimli moved closer, actually entering the room, as Rosa beamingly answered, “The letter e. In a marble hall white as milk. Lined with skin as soft as silk. Within a fountain crystal-clear. A golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold, Yet thieves break in to steal its gold.”

Gimli walked closer, eyes wide in wonder at the riddles. They were far more complicated than the ones the younger hobbits had been giving. Hildigrim answered cheerfully, “It’s an egg, my dear. Now… Thirty white horses on a red hill, First they champ, Then they stamp, Then they stand still.”

“Oh!” Breathed Gimli. The littled dwarf flushed as all the hobbits turned to look at him. Sandanukinh had told him this riddle!

Rosa smiled softly and Gimli’s heart fluttered. She asked kindly, “Do you know the answer master dwarf?”

Gimli turned an even brighter red as he answered, “Teeth.”

Her smile grew and Gimli’s flushed deepened even more. “Very good.” She opened her arms, “Would you like to help me dear?”

The little dwarfling ducked his head bashfully before nodding. He gave a slight squeak as he found himself lifted up by Lady Rosa. She settled back into her seat and Gimli found the answers to riddles whispered in his ear as he helped her beat everyone for the rest of the afternoon. The game finally concluded for tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sandanukinh - Purest Green Lady, Gimli's name for Bella
> 
> Riddles:  
> Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I? -- a fire
> 
> What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps? -- a river
> 
> Pronounced as one letter, And written with three, Two letters there are, And two only in me. I'm double, I'm single, I'm black, blue, and gray, I'm read from both ends, And the same either way. What am I? -- eye
> 
> From the beginning of eternity. To the end of time and space. To the beginning of every end. And the end of every place. What am I? -- letter e
> 
> In a marble hall white as milk. Lined with skin as soft as silk. Within a fountain crystal-clear. A golden apple doth appear. No doors there are to this stronghold, Yet thieves break in to steal its gold. -- an egg
> 
> Thirty white horses on a red hill, First they champ, Then they stamp, Then they stand still. -- teeth
> 
> And so everyone knows. Bofur will show up by winter in the Shire but, well Midsummer's eve hasn't come yet. So I hope that gives you a vague sense of whats to come. maybe.


	42. Armory

Fili paused in the game of chase he had been pulled into and back tracked. He couldn’t have seen what he had thought. Hobbits were peaceful folk. 

Yet, Fili was proven wrong when he stepped into the room he had spied. It was an amory. The room was brimming with weapons that could be used by hobbits. They were small enough that he could wield many of them, though that was partly because of his dwarven strength and not so much because he was tall enough yet.

The little dwarfling slowly wandered down a row, staring in wonder at the old but well cared for weapons. Rows upon rows of knife sized blades were followed by rows of long, flexible staves. Many were piercing styled pikes but some seemed better fit for slicing. Most of the walls had bows mounted on them. 

A door at the back opened and Fili had the suddenly feeling he had been caught red handed somewhere he shouldn’t be. The hobbits that wandered in didn’t notices the little dwarfing immediately. Fili took the moment to observe what he could only guess were Bounders. A number of the hobbits wore caps. Most of the caps had one golden brown feather peaking out the top at an angle. 

One hobbit had three different feathers, a golden brown, and two deep red feathers. He was an older fellow too. Still clearly fit but getting along in years if the lines around his eyes and mouth indicated, along with the strands of gray glinting through his dirty blond hair. 

Fili tilted his head to get a better look at the weapons the Bounders were all putting away. The three feathered cap bounder noticed the movement and gave Fili a look that could only be described as amused exasperation. The expression changed to surprise as the elder hobbit took in the dwarfling. 

“You’re one of little Bella’s children.” Stated the hobbit. He quickly placed the twin long knives onto their places on the rack before him before walked over to Fili with a slight smile. “You’d consider me a uncle then.” 

“Uncle?” Breathed Fili both startled and confused at this jump of logic. He had no idea who this hobbit was.

“Indeed.” He stopped in front of Fili with open interest. “I’d be your great uncle really. Little Bella’s my niece. You’re about old enough to learn how to handle weapons now, aren’t you? Maybe we can convince Bella to let me show you the ropes on a few things.”

“What-Great-” Fili paused helplessly trying to understand the hobbits logic and its implications. This hobbit was a Took. He was saying they were family, so did that mean all the hobbits in this giant smial - all the children he had seen and played with - were his kin?!? Fili’s mind finally caught up to the hobbits last words. “Training!?” He looked up at the hobbit in intrigue. “I’ve already started learning my forms, sir.”

The hobbit’s brows shot up. “Oh? Well perhaps you can show them to me. Come along, you can pick out a training sword from the barrel over here.”

Fili followed, eagerly pulling out various wooden blades that were about the right length for his future swords while being considerable longer than appropriate for a young hobbit lad. Finally finding a practice sword he preferred, Fili looked expectantly up at the older hobbit. 

“You dwarves certainly are picky about weapons.” He smiled, “Now lets see what you can do before little Bell find out!”

“Yes sir!” grinned Fili in excitement. He hadn’t worked on his forms in ages. To finally get a chance was brilliant. Before everything had happened, he had been working hard on his form to impress his adad and nâdad. His grin faded at his thoughts. Adad and nâdad would be home by now. They had been gone for ages and ages working in the land of men. 

The hobbit pulled the back door open and waved Fili out to a training field, breaking Fili from his thoughts. “It’s Uncle Isengar, little dwarf.”

“Fili, Mister Isengar.” Fili answered before running there to start on a little stretching his amad always told him to do. The blond dwarf didn’t know if he could call anyone hobbit uncle. He had a uncle already. 

Isengar didn’t push the matter and simply followed after Fili, calling back to the bounder in the armory to keep Bella from searching for Fili over here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So its been a while. I've been super busy and it looks like I'll be even more busy soon. 
> 
> I'll try to update more often but I can't promise anything right now. :/
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this chapter
> 
> adad - Father  
> nâdad - uncle
> 
> Isengar is the youngest child of the Old Took and went adventuring in his younger days - went and saw the sea.... might have never returned to the Shire in cannon, don't know for sure on that though.
> 
> Oh! Happy Belated New Year everyone!


	43. Library

Ori’s mouth was hanging open. His head was tilted up, nearly pointing his chin to the ceiling.

“Isn’t it amazing!” Cried the little girl at Ori’s side. Her strawberry curls bounced has she almost seemed to vibrate in place. “This is the center of the smial and it reaches the very top mostest part of the Hill!” She looked over at the silent dwarf with wide brown eyes. “There’s an ob-bser-obzeratoir at the topest part! Grandpapa showed me the stars the other day!”

“It’s the observatory, Amatista.” Corrected one of the many hobbit within the room. “Are you two looking for any books in particular?”

Ori finally turned away from the view. The room was three times as large as his kurâmad’s living area, dining room, and foray combined. He could see four floors worth of bookshelves. There were a number of hobbits carefully transcribing old, worn books into newer, better bounded versions. 

This was what Ori had always imagined Erebor’s library looked liked, excluding the large windows filtering light into the space. All the stone would be equally carefully constructed and carved as the wood making up the walls and bookshelves but otherwise it was just as he always dreamed. Thousands and thousands of books, floors and floors of things to learn and investigate. 

Ori looked over at the librarian and asked, “Do you have any books on Dwarves?”

“Oh,” Breathed the hobbit, startled. “Uh yes. The section is on the very top level, though. Are you alright with the stairs? Or do you have a particular subject you’d like me to go find for you, dear?”

Ori looked at her in confusion before glancing at the large, sturdy, wooden, spiral stairs, “I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Some of the hobbits that come visiting don’t like stairs.” Explained Ori’s little companion. “They say that stairs are nasty, inconvenient things.” 

“Now Amatista don’t you go repeating such disrespectful things.” Scolded the librarian. 

She nodded quickly even as she grabbed Ori’s wrist and dragged him over to the stairs. “I know where the dwarf books are, Ori!”

The two ran up the flight of stairs like only young children could. Ori was soon staring at the small section of dwarven writings. Some of the really old books were even written in Khuzdul to Ori’s surprise. 

He ended up choosing the oldest of the khuzdul bounded books while Amatista picked up a newer book in common tongue. The two quietly settled at a table near by and were soon giggling over their books. Neither could read the books extremely well but Amatista had chosen a book with many illustrations that she eagerly asked Ori over and Ori knew his basic letters for his native tongue. 

It was near the end of his book that Ori found something he just knew was important. He couldn’t read enough of the words to understand what it was talking about but there was a very old illustration that took up the entire page. 

The image had what looked like a very pregnant hobbit standing by a dwarf. Below the couple were various images of what Ori thought were more hobbits and dwarves. The little boy couldn’t help but notice that the illustrator got some things wrong. Some of the hobbits had round ears and even beards while some of the dwarves had pointed ears or didn’t have beards at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amazingly enough I was able to write this out sooner then expected. :)
> 
> Now, as it says at the end, Ori doesn't know what he's found.
> 
> Amatista is the daughter of Adalgrim. Adalgrim is a cousin of Bella's. His father is Hildigrim and mother is Rosa, who you've met on the last Gimli chapter with the riddles. Amatista is not the cannon name of Adalgrim's eldest daughter (he has 3 in cannon, two are alive right now in the story). I was unable to find any names for his daughters so I gave her Amatista. 
> 
> Amatista is a purple crystal.


	44. Tea Time Reflections

Bella kept one eye on the door as she sat listening to a few of her aunts chat away about the birthday preparations, waiting on her dwarflings. Aunt Rosa and Uncle Hildigrim came through the doors first, Gimli clinging to her aunt’s skirts. Gimli exploded from his place when he spotted Bella. He nearly pounced into her lap in his excitement. 

The little boy immediately started speaking a mile a minute. Bella could barely follow as she stared in wonder at one of her quietest boys thrumming with so much excitement and life. A smile spread across her face as Bella pulled Gimli into a better position in her lap and relaxed, finally catching enough of his words to know that he had spent the afternoon learning riddles from one of the most skill riddle masters in Tuckborough, if not the Shire. 

She almost missed Kili slipping into the room with one of her cousins or second cousins… maybe one of her third cousins even. The two quietly slipped through the intimate room to her older cousin and acting Thain, Fortinbras. 

Her content smile widened, and a hint of worry flickered to life, at the realization that Kili’s companion was Fortinbras’ boy. Knowing her luck little Ferumbras took after his father (She had far too many cousins, second cousins, and even third cousins to keep a track on which were the trouble makers). Bella just knew that she would soon hear about the antics Kili got up to with that boy. Cooling pies at window ledges will soon be going missing like back in the days.

Uncle Isengar came strolling in, looking like he had just come from Bounder training - his face rubied from overexertion and his hair sticking up in places from sweat. Bella frowned as Fili followed her adventurer Uncle just as reddened and sweaty. He was beaming, just as happy as the other three but Bella didn’t like the ideas of what her uncle had done to get him that sweat covered. Isengar couldn’t have taken her little boy out onto the training field. He wouldn’t. Bella frowned deeper. He would.

A whirlwind of her last little boy came flying in, distracting Bella with excited babble about the library. She couldn’t help forgetting her worries as she watched and listened to all the excitement from Ori, the content joy from Fili, the (slightly concerning) mischievous grin stretched across Kili’s little face, and the explosion of exuberance Gimli had become. 

A change of scenery had been just what they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter but sadly (as far as I know) I'm not back to the daily updates. I just am strangely not busy. I see all the things I need to do coming my way but its not here yet and I'm not going to complain sooo more little dwarflings!!
> 
> Random notes to help you all remember who's who, if needed! :D
> 
> Rosa Took - Wife of Hildigrim, was a Baggins before marriage (a Aunt once removed on the Baggins side for Bella I think), and is about 68 years old
> 
> Hildigrim Took - third oldest son of the Old Took and is about 84 years old
> 
> Fortinbras II - son of Isumbras IV (last acting Thain and second oldest son of the Old Took), Acting Thain and is about 46 years old.
> 
> Ferumbras - son of Fortinbras, is about 8 years old (forgot to change mental age etc for any of you who know what I'm talking about)
> 
> Isengar - youngest child and son of Old Took, about 62, is a confirmed bachelor


	45. Bats and Brews

Oin nearly rode right past them as he rushed his pony down the quickest trail to the Firebeards Hall (situated within the outer edge of the ruins of Tumunzahar in the southern part of the northern section of the Blue Mountains, north of the Gulf of Lhun). It was only the shout of incredibility from Vili recognizing him that stopped Oin from continuing down to the halls. The near deaf dwarf wasn’t aware if Thorin or Balin had recognized him also. He hadn’t heard any other cries so the healer could only assume that his king and steward were blind as bats out of Khazad-dum.

The elderly dwarf turned in his saddle to see the three rushing over to him. Oin huffed in annoyance as Thorin shouted, “All doing here?”

“All? Just me laddie.” Said Oin as he got off the pony. Thorin heavied a sigh at Oin’s response. Vili had a slight grin slowly stretching across his face.

Balin stepped forward and spoke loud enough for Oin to hear. “Why are you here?”

“Came as quick as my old bones could go, laddie.” Oin huffed. “There’s been an development.” Oin paused and frowned at his fellow dwarrow.

“A embezzlement?” Prompted Balin.

Oin flashed a confused glance at Balin, “No, no embezzlement. A development! But why are ya lot here? Did I really catch ya before reaching the halls?” Oin turned away from the others and so neither saw nor heard their answer as he patted his pony’s neck, “A mighty fine beast, I have then.”

The deaf dwarf turned back to the group to find exasperated looks being thrown his way. “No matter.”  Oin shout out to them. “There’s been a development! Other children have been found missing.” Orin frowned and shook his head, “I mean that more children are gone, not that we’ve found missing children. Or well…”

Thorin grabbed Oin’s shoulder, directing his thought back to them. “More children are gone?!?”

“Oh aye, that’s what I just said.”

The three younger dwarves cursed colorfully and started a sharp trot up the way Oin had come. Oin watched them in confusion for a moment. Finally the dwarf looked over at his beast and remarked. “The lot lost their ponies. Should have never let Vili go with them.”

Balin shouted back down at Oin, “Oin! Lets get brewing! We’ll use your bunny to carry everything.”

“Brewing? The children are more important than ale!” Shouted Oin, “And its a pony, Balin. Should we get you spectacles?” Clearly he had been right, Balin was as blind as a bat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oin was fun to write, though this chapter was supposed to have more of a conversation between the characters but oh well. Obviously this is from Oin's perspective so some of the things Balin and Thorin say are not what they actually said but what Oin heard.
> 
> Tumunzahar = Nogrod  
> Khazad-dum = Moria  
> Gulf of Lhun is the gulf the Grey Havens are next to.


	46. Longbottom

Kili slipped into the room after his new comrade-in-arms. An old hobbit, one of nâmad’s uncles, lay with his head in his hands, dozing across his desk. The little dwarf glanced around the study in interest. It had the same carved wooden walls and bookshelves, though perhaps a little less ornate, as the library nâmad had taken them all to for their evening studies last night.

“This way.” hissed Ferumbras.

Kili followed, tiptoeing across the room to the desk. Ferumbras pointed silently at the item Kili was supposed to get then the faunt turned to a desk drawer and carefully, slowly opened it. Kili slowly leaned up, over the desk and reached for the intricately carved pipe.

The old hobbit shifted with a snorted huff. Both boys stilled for a moment, wide eyes meeting across the desk. They stayed perfectly still for a moment longer. Then, seeing no other changes to the sleeping elder, the two went back to their heist.

Ferumbras pulled the drawer fully opened and carefully pulled open a tin. A sweet smell filtered out of it. Kili got a hold of the pipe and slowly pulled it across the desk. The heavy end dipped from his weak grip and hit the desk with a thud.

“Wha?” Slurred the elder, lifting his head with a dazed expression.

Ferumbras shouted, “Run!”

Kili yanked the pipe and bolted out the door after the fleeing faunting. The old hobbit shouted out after them. The two simply kept running, Kili following Ferumbras through the twisting halls until they ran through a round door out to the center valley of the Tooks.

There, Ferumbras paused to grin at Kili. “Did you get it?”

Kili nodded as he huffed for air, lifting the pipe up in the air. The hobbit took the pipe and stuffed it with whatever he had gotten from the desk. Then he pulled out a small match box and, fiddling around to light a match, grinned over at Kili. “Want to try some longbottom leaf? Best in all the Shire.”

The little dwarf slowly nodded as the hobbit lit the pipe. Ferumbras handed it over to Kili and took a seat on one of the tables. Kili joined him before taking a puff. He immediately started coughing.

Ferumbras laughed, “You need to know how to do these things properly.” He took the pipe from Kili and took a puff himself. The faunt joined in coughing uncontrollably. “Excellent stuff, right?” Half choked, half coughed Ferumbras.

Kili nodded helplessly, “Yes.”, before taking the pipe back for another puff.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with a chapter that could have been better but a chapter all the same.
> 
> Also,  
> Epic art: http://lieroftheshire.tumblr.com/post/75651749692/some-lost-and-found-fanart-and-i-finally-got


	47. Hard Work

Fili turned with a sharp pivot. His arm rose with confidence. The wood sword block Isengar’s. Fili’s other arm rose to strike. Insengar twisted out of range and stabbed out at Fili. The dwarfling blocked. The two broke away and began to circle.

Sweat slid down Fili’s brow. Isengar had decided to put Fili to a test after seeing how far the dwarf was on his forms. Fili knew Isengar was holding back. The Bounder commander only had one wooden sword where Fili had seen him put away two blades yesterday. The hobbit didn’t look tired at all, though he was dirt covered.

The blond dwarf charged, one arm rising to strike. Isengar dodge to the side and lightly tapped Fili’s ribs. Fili jerked back, a belated reaction. The hobbit turn offensive, following the dwarfling in his retreat. Fili blocked the next few blows.

A bell rang out and the two broke away once again, though neither kept their fighting stances. Isengar grinned at Fili. “Get some water. We’ll have to head to luncheon in a few minutes and we need to clean up a bit least Bell realizes what’s happening.”

Fili nodded, too busy to do more than breath hard. It felt good working out like this. He had missed the hard work. A smile stretch across his face. Maybe he’d be able to impress his adad and nâdad after all. Isengar’s remark about nâmad drooped the smile. “Do you think nâmad will really not approve?”

Isengar looked over at Fili thoughtfully. “You mean Bell?” At the dwarfling’s nod the hobbit looked away. Fili watched as the Bounder mulled over his thoughts. Finally Isengar shrugged and said, “She’d not approve you training at your age. Hobbits don’t do this until they’re in their tweens. She’d be proud of your skill, though. And she’d skin me alive so just take my word for it, eh?”

The child stared for a moment before grinning, dimples appearing. “Course, wouldn’t want to lose my teacher!”

Isengar laughed, “Right on that! If I got skinned, you wouldn’t be out of a teacher, you’d be out of anyone teaching you till your dwarf kin come.”

Fili’s grin faded to an uncertain smile. The Bounder commander pulled a waterskin down from a shelf by the door and handed it to the dwarfling before grabbing his own. Fili fiddled with the waterskin, taking a sip, as he contemplated his thoughts.

“You think they’ll come?” He asked in a small voice. Fili stared down at the waterskin. Worry he had ignored for the most part gnawed at him. Other worries weren’t so prevalent anymore that he could truly ignore this one. He had seen the maps. He knew how big Ered Luin was.

A hand ruffled his hair, “They’ll come.”

 

 


	48. Books

Ori traced the image for the hundredth time. He had been thinking about the illustrations of the hobbit and dwarf since he had laid down last night. Hope bubbled as the little boy stared at the pregnant hobbit and dwarf. Why would an illustration show that unless they were supposed to be a couple?

 

His eyes dropped to the other illustrations. Hobbits with beards. Dwarves with pointed ears. Could these be children of a dwarf and hobbit? Or was it too good to be true?

 

The ginger chewed his bottom lip in thought. There was only one way to know for sure. He needed someone that could read more Khuzdul. Fili might be able to but Ori hadn’t found him anywhere.

 

“Ori?” He looked up at his new friend. Amatista smiled shyly at him. Her cheeks were flushed as she nodded at his book. “Is it very interesting?”

 

“It is.” Ori smiled, “I’d like to show it to Fili. He might be able to read more of it. Have you found anything?”

 

Amatista nodded her head eagerly. “Look at this!” Ori looked over at her book. “It’s an old Stoor ship.”

 

The little dwarf scooted closer with wonder. An illustration of a boat made from wood and metal lay across both pages of the book. A part of the illustration was tucked into the center dip of the book where the pages were bound. Ori carefully pushed the center so he could see some of the covered illustration.

 

“Was this really made?” Breathed Ori.

 

Amatista gave a sound of confirmation in the background. “These boats used to travel up and down the Great river! This one’s the biggest I’ve ever seen.” She pointed to certain parts of the illustration, happily explaining the reason of each. “My ma is a Stoor. Or, well, Ma’s ma’s, ma was a Stoor. She took me boating when we went and visited grandmama.”

 

The fauntling pushed the page so more of the illustration became visible. Part of the image caught his eye. It couldn’t be.

 

“There you are!”

 

Ori jumped. Dread washed over him.

 

“Uncle Sig!” Squealed Amatista.

 

Sigismond sat beside Amatista. “You two having fun?”

 

“Ahuh!”

 

Ori ignored the new arrival and turned back to the illustration. Sigismond helpfully leaned in to look with him. Amatista happily joined too.

 

“What are you trying to see?” Asked the older hobbit after a few minutes.

 

Ori hesitated for a second before sighing. “There’s this section I’m trying to see. It looks familiar.” He pointed to the section as he explained.

 

Large hand took the book and carefully pulled it as if to close it the opposite way a book should close. The section hidden became slightly more visible. It was enough. Ori’s mouth fell open. Most of the symbol of Durin was now visible, inscribed into the metal of the boat.

 

He grabbed up the older book and hopped off the bench in a rush.

 

“Ori!” Cried Amatista. “Books aren’t allow’d out of the libari-this room!”

 

He stilled, frustration snapping through him. “I need to show this to Fili now!” Ori cried out. Amatista wrung her hand in worry.

 

“Let’s sneak it out.”

 

Both children turned and stared at Sigismond.

 

“Uncle Sig! Stealing’s bad.” Balked Amatista. “Mama says you’re a bad inf-influense!”

 

He simply grinned, “We’re not stealing. We’re sneaking. I’ll bring the book back once Ori’s done myself.”

 

“Well..” Hesitated the little girl.

 

Ori stepped forward, resolve written across his little face. “How?”

 

Sigismond beamed, waved his arms out invitingly, and knelt down. “Here’s the plan.” The two children gathered in front of him. One unsure, the other determined.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


	49. Chickens

Gimli watch, fascinated. The black silver edged feathers of the chicken ruffled as the bird chased another. He liked that one best. Gimli pointed to that one. "It's been dipped in silver."

 

The old blond hobbit woman smiled. "Yes, that sounds like a beginning of a riddle. Hmm, what do you think?"

 

Gimli nodded, ''Uh... Dipped in silver. Black before. Black after. Always giving, never taking." The little dwarf frowned,"It's not very good."

 

"None of that, sweetheart." Rosa said,"A good riddle can take years to perfect but you have a nice start. Knowing the type of chicken might help. Riddles need to be precise enough that someone that doesn't know you or have your experience can still guess."

 

Gimli frowned. "What's it called then?"

 

She smiled. Bella had a curious child. It seemed fitting, even if he wasn't truly her’s. "An animal has many names. The most fitting name in this case is silver-laced."

 

The child scratched his head in thought. His nose scrunched up. "Laced with silver, dipped in white. Gifting daily gold... golden.... delight?"

 

Rosa beamed,"You're a natural. We'll have you stumping everyone in no time!"

 

Gimli grinned over at her before pausing. A window on the main Took hill had just been thrown open. It was at the very top.

 

His lady Rosa turned to look. She was just in time to witness Ori, a little hobbit, and Sigismond climbing out. They were trying to sneak but they were visible to everyone outside.

 

Rosa sighed,"Oh what has little Sigsy gotten those children into now?" She looked over at Gimli. “Best act like you cannot see them, dear. Sigsy will be terribly disappointed if he sees us watching.”

  
Gimli grinned and turned back to the chickens. “How do you take care of chickens?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this update is way overdue but here it is.Sorry for how long this took... I got stuck on Gimli again. :(
> 
> Sadly I’m not going to be publishing anything during the rest of November. I’m going to be working on a number of small original works during NaNo. If I get those completed before NaNo is over with I’ll then work on fan fiction. 
> 
> I do have a bit of a random question for you all, though. I’m considering starting a blog - won’t be till the new year probably. Said blog would be about hunting for what makes great stories great or at least that’s my idea at the moment. What do you think. Would you find that interesting? I know some of you read blogs. :)
> 
> And the blog would give you all a easy way to communicate with me outside of Ao3 story comments.


	50. To Sneak

Ori glanced around the hill as he crouched down by the window, the old book clutched firmly in his arms. He could see some hobbits milling about. Gimli was down by the chicken coop with the older hobbit lady, kurâmad’s great aunt or something like that.

 

None were looking their way, even though they were out in the open. Ori looked back over at Sigismond in wonder. He really knew how to sneak. Ori didn’t think his brother could sneak this well!

 

“Right.” Breathed Sigismond as he looked down at Ori, a wide grin glowing. “I told you we could sneak out. Now where’d we find little Fili?”

 

Ori frowned. Fili had been quiet about what he had been doing yesterday. Kili had been too. The little ginger boy frowned deeper, his nose wrinkling as he thought hard. It wasn’t like either to be that quiet. Yet Gimli didn’t usually talk non-stop either.

 

His shoulders drooped and he shooked his head. “I-I don’t know.”

 

“What if we hide the book in your room?” Spoke up Amatista quietly. “That way you can show it to him tonight.”

 

“But-”

 

Sigismond hummed softly, ruffling his hair about in thought. “Is it that important?”

 

“Yes.” Stated Ori firmly.

 

“Well…”

 

Amatista shook her head, “We can’t just run around with a book! It’ll fall apart. We’re supposed to take care of books.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “If grandma or grandpa or..or...or mama heard us not taking care of books we’ll not be allowed in the book room ever again!”

 

Ori’s stomach dropped in horror.

 

Sigismond countered, “Now I don’t think it would be that bad.”

 

“We’ll put it in my room and then go find Fili.” Ori decided. He looked over at his friend seeing clear relief reflected in her watery eyes. “I don’t want to hurt any books, especi...es-pec-ial-ly this one.”

 

The little hobbit beamed at the dwarf. Then the two children turned determined and hopeful eyes to Sigismond. “How’d we sneak all the way there?”

 

He grinned at their attention. “Remember. Follow me and do as I do.”

 

Both children nodded. With that Sigismond proceeded to crouch down and run across the hill to the next window and then slid down a small part of the hill to just under said window and crawl across. He made sure to keep his head below the window seal. The children followed. Amatista stumbled and fell on her bum a few times while Ori moved slowly, taking care to protect the book.

 

It took a good twenty minutes to reach the furthest right Took hill. Once there Sigismond went to a particular window and slowly pushed it open. Then he crawled in and helped the children to the floor in the room.

 

Ori looked around the room intently. No one was there. His heart pounded in excitement. They hadn’t been caught yet.

 

Amatista tugged on Sigismond’s sleeve as their guide and sneak teacher slowly pushed the door open. He glanced out the door before finally looking at her. “What?”

 

Ori groaned as she asked, “Why are we in the west hill? Ori’s room is in the east one.”

 

The adult stared at the children for a second. The dwarfling glared up at him. He coughed into a hand and looked back out the door, “We couldn’t sneak in through a window over there! Someone would have seen us.” At the continued glare from Ori, he quickly added, “We’d would have had to go past the chicken coop.”

 

“Ohhh.” Breathed both children. Their trust in his expertise returned.

 

Sigismond grinned, “Now come on and be sure to stay quiet!”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, Sigismond is amazing at sneaking. XD
> 
> Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed. My goal for the month (as nano was a total bust, as usual - November has always been my busiest month so I got no writing done in any form at all. I have never had in the past, so its no surprise.) is to celebrate the 25 days of Christmas/Holiday season. 
> 
> If all goes as planned, you can expect a chapter tomorrow. And the next day. And the next. All the way to Christmas.
> 
> Cheers,  
> Novus Ars


	51. A Growin' House

Fili slowly wandered through the smial’s halls. He had lost the fight against Isengar. He hadn’t expected anything less.

 

His body ached but it was a good ache. He smelled and he was covered in dirt. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to go wash up.

 

It reminded him of adad and nâdad. They would smell like he did after coming from training, from the road, and from the smithy, though there was always a sharp smell of metal that mingled around them to denote the difference.

 

It had been far too long since he had trained. It felt amazing. He wouldn’t get out of bed till late tomorrow. Or he wouldn’t as long as Insengar didn’t somehow find a way to get him out without informing Aunt Bella.

 

A hobbit child ran past him squealing, arms full of vegetables. Fili picked up a dropped carrot before looked back at the fleeing child. He reminded Fili of his little brother.

 

Kili was old enough to start learning a weapon. Adad was supposed to be home to start the training himself, just as he had done for Fili a few years ago. Fili looked down sadly at the carrot. Kili was missing out on one of the few moments either of them would get with their adad. Soon adad would head back out to help uncle with smithy work, trying to pull together enough money to send back to feed them all.

 

“Where’d you get that carrot?” Fili jumped at the voice. His head snapped up and Fili couldn’t help but stare up at the elderly hobbit lady scowling at him. “Well?”

 

“Uh…” The hobbit stood with arms braced at her hips, a large apron covered in dirt and muddy boots (of all things) covered her feet. Dark, grey streaked curly hair fell wild around her face, growing around large, round hobbit pointed ears. Fili gulped and pointed the carrot the way the child had run. “A kid..”

 

The hobbit woman snorted in amusement. “Of course.”

 

Fili couldn’t help but feel like his amad was suddenly standing before him. He bowed his head and sniffled back sudden tears at the feeling. He ignored the sudden desire to hide the carrot behind his back guiltily.

 

“Well come along. You can help pick up the mess your accomplice left.”

 

His head snapped up at that. “But…”

 

The hobbit had already turned away, trailing muddy boot prints down the hall. She glanced back at him, “I don’t have all day.”

 

Fili bolted down the hall after her to only stop at the entrance to the room she was led him too. The smell of rotting things, the sharp mingle of dirty and metal filtered out even as heat waved over him.

 

The room was enclosed entirely of glass. It was filled with plants. A couple buckets of vegetables lay dumped in one corner. A breeze filtered through a opening in the glass further back. The floor was covered in mud.

 

“Aunt Milla did you catch the little brat?” Demanded one mud covered hobbit.

 

Another grumbled as she tried to wipe mud from her face with her already muddied apron, “We nearly shattered the new glass, pulling that stunt with the rain buckets.”

 

Aunt Milla snorted. “I got him.”

 

The hobbits looked around her before breaking out into amused grinned, “Of course you did.”

 

She shrugged. “He’s got a carrot. He’ll do if he wants to eat proper tonight.”

 

Fili looked back at her wide eyed, “Uh… I could go find the boy that did it instead.”

 

“And let our only help flee? I think not.” She sniffed before pointing at the food scattered over the muddy floor. “Pick it all up and clean the mud off. Doesn’t have be perfect but the cooks don’t need caked mud everywhere.”

 

Fili sighed heavily. “What is this place?” He asked as he picked up a ball of mud that, with a wipe across a spar apron, revealed a potato.

 

One of the hobbits stood up proud, “Its our growin’ house!”

 

“No, no. It’s the Planting house.”

 

“I thought we agreed on it being the Green house?”

 

The hobbits’ Aunt Milla snapped. “It’s nobody’s house if we can’t keep the glass from breaking at a single windy snap.”

 

Fili wisely cleaned more vegetables. He’d ask his nâmad later.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo.... yep.


	52. Garnet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note, for anyone just seeing the update today - this is the third day of 25 days of updates for the holidays.

The deep red stone reflected the sunlight. The carving of a lonely mountain and the paths the Erebor dwarrow had traveled since the dragon had stolen their home glowed as he tilted the stone toward the light.

It was a stone his father had carved as they came to Dunland. At least, that was according to Oin. He, himself, didn’t remember his father. Groin had died during the beginnings of the war with the Morian orcs. 

The stone was garnet. The traveler’s stone. A stone of stability and security. 

It was from Erebor. 

Home.

Gloin stood just outside another ramshackled village. No more missing children had been found. No hint of the ones they had already heard of. The village had no children at all. It was dieing off, one Erebor dwarf at a time. The female of the village had died of a illness two winters past.

It was signs of things.

Gloin clenched the stone his father had craved. If he believed Oin, it was a talisman embedded with their father’s desire to return home safely and to stay safe while traveling. The red headed dwarf tilted his head up toward the sun and clenched his eyes shut. His clenched hand pressed the stone to his chest.

It would protect him. It would lead him to his little boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gloin has made an appearance... hopefully he was ok.


	53. The Book

Ori sat dejectedly at the dining room. He had spent all day trying to find Fili. The blond had been nowhere. The book sat on Ori’s bed waiting for him to return. He couldn’t return without Fili.

Kili and Gimli were at the table already. Fili wasn’t. Where could he be?

Bella set a plate full of lamb and icky veggies before him. Ori’s mood drooped even more. The meat smelt delicious but the greens spoiled it. 

Finally, after spending the entire meal massacring the greens so they looked like he had eaten some of it, Fili stumbled in. Bella scolded Fili but Ori found his eyes drawn to the older hobbit lady standing at the doorway. She was wearing boots. Her hair was a wild mess of curls surrounding larger, rounded but pointy ears. 

She looked like one of the drawings. 

Ori stared. He didn’t realize until kurâmad touched his shoulder that he had been staring at the door long after the hobbit lady had left. The meal was over. Ori blushed and looked up at his mother.

“Are you alright?” Bella asked, concern shining in her eyes, reflected in the wrinkle across her brow. 

Ori nodded, “Just thinking.”

Bella slowly nodded back, “Alright.” She looked up but kept her hand on his shoulder, “Come on all of you; lets get baths done and then we can go study in the library for a bit.”

“Baths before.” Whined Kili.

Bella humphed good naturedly at him before explaining, “Fili is definitely not allowed in the library before a bath and neither are you. Don’t think I can’t smell that weed on you!”

Ori grinned slowly as his family wandered out the of emptying communal dining room (Kili fleeing more than wandering). His grinned widened as Gimli thoughtlessly claimed one end of Bella’s skirt as he rubbed his eyes.

The image of the older hobbit lady sprang back to his mind. The book hidden in his room surfaced next. The moment was broken and Ori quickly followed after his family. “Fili!”

“Fili.” Repeated Ori as he reached the blond’s side. “I have something I have to show you!”

Fili blinked rapidly at him. “Before baths?”

Ori nodded as his earlier determination returned. Excitement began to thrum through him, “Definitely.” Ori grabbed Fili’s arm, sped up, and dragged him ahead of the group, “Come on!”

They reached their suit, as Bella had called it, in record time. Ori rushed through the living area to the room he shared with the others (the suit had two rooms and they were bunking in the room kurâmad once used). “I found this book in khuzdul but I don’t know enough of the runes to be able to read it properly. I thought maybe you would be able to though since, you know... I think it might be what we’ve been looking for. There’s these images--”

“Ori.” Fili interrupted Ori’s rambling. “Can you just show me?”

Ori blushed but pulled the book from under the blankets on the bed. “Here.” The little dwarfling quickly flipped the book open to the proper page. “Look!”

Fili stared down at the page for a few minutes before dawning understanding flood his expression. “Oh.”

Both boys jumped as a voice spoke up behind them. “Can you read some of it?”

Ori and Fili stared at each other and then looked behind them to find Bella standing there holding Gimli’s clothes and Kili’s tunic. The two younger dwarves stood beside her expectantly. 

“Um…” Breathed Fili, his eyes glancing back at the book then back at Bella. “...no.”

Bella stepped up and looked down at the page. A small frown slowly appeared as she stared at the images. Her hand slid down and traced the image the the older hobbit lady from earlier looked similar to. “This…”

Fili answered quietly, “A badly drawn hobbit?”

Ori glanced sharply at Fili. Fili’s eyes shifted over at him for second in response. 

Their hobbit shook her head, “No.” She picked the book up. “This looks like a book that expands on that myth…”

“Myth?” Asked Gimli, suddenly perking up.

The hobbit lass nodded distractedly as she thumbed through the book. “The one about hobbits and dwarves resonating together and having children.” She answered.

The four dwarflings shared wide eyed looks. This was the answer they had been hoping for. 

Bella shook her head and looked up at them, “Nevermind. It’s bath time.” She closed the book. “We’ll take this back to the library once we’re done. Right, Ori?”

Ori nodded quickly and nearly ripped his clothes off in an attempt to get away from her sudden narrowed eyes.


	54. Halfing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a friendly reminder for folks coming in for the first time this week - this is the 5th chapter of 25 days of christmas. You might have missed a few updates.

 

Fili followed after Ori quickly. Kili and Gimli followed behind. It had been nearly a week since Ori showed him the book. nâmad has insisted on it being returned after their bath and he hadn’t had a chance to read it since. They all had been kept busy and away from the library. If it wasn’t for the upcoming birthday party, Fili would have thought their nâmad had been purposely keeping them away.

 

Yet they all had been kept away by other hobbits. Bella hadn’t been involved at all. And in his case his nâmad hasn’t been aware of what he had been doing in the first place.

 

The boys slipped into the library and quietly traversed the stairs to the top floor. He was going to read the book, as much of it as he could. It was the answer they had been looking for. Hobbits could have families with dwarves. Aunt Bella could marry Uncle Thorin.

 

She could be family without them taking away her chance to grow the family more.

 

Fili grinned at the thought of Aunt Bella having a baby. The baby would be his cousin. His grin grew wider.

 

He stumbled to a halt as he almost ran into Ori. The little red head had stopped at the end of a row of bookshelves. Before Fili could ask, Ori grabbed his arm and pulled Fili into the row. Kili and Gimli scrambled after.

 

“What-”

 

Ori shushed Kili by clamping his hand over the brunette’s mouth and making shushing sounds. Voices filtered through the bookshelves.

 

“Uncle Hildifons, thank you for coming.”

 

That was Aunt Bella’s voice. The four dwarflings stared at each other.

 

“It’s the least I could do for my favorite niece.”

 

The voices faded from hearing for a few minutes. The boys strained to hear what was said. Bella’s voice finally rose to an octave they could understand again.

 

“..not just a myth! This looks like Aunt Milla.”

 

“Bell…”

 

“Don’t Bell me.”

 

Hildifons sighed heavily. “It’s not something we talk about. Mother never forgave father, you see. Can’t really blame her.” The sound of a chair scraping across the floor was heard. “Best sit down.”

 

Another chair scraped across the floor before Bella spoke. “Uncle?”

 

“Your grandfather loved your grandmother. You know that, of course. A couple that didn’t, wouldn’t have had so many children…. They didn’t resonated perfectly, though. No, they resonated as perfectly with each other as they had ever found in the Shire but they weren’t a perfect match.”

 

Silence stretched for a few minutes. Finally Bella promoted and the boys pressed against the shelves to hear, “What happened?”

 

“We all thought it myth, resonating with dwarves. Even after everything we never informed anyone otherwise.”

 

“Uncle.” Their nâmad sounded annoyed.

 

“A convey of dwarves came through one year. I wasn’t even alive then. I don’t know all the details. No ones’ told me everything but….but I know that da, your grandfather, found a dwarf woman he resonated with perfectly. She claimed he was her one, whatever that means.”

 

Gimli grabbed onto Fili’s arm. Fili didn’t notice as he felt his heart jolt at the words. Ori made a strained noise and Kili sat up wide eyed. A hobbit had been a dwarf’s One.

 

“Obviously father became intimate with this dwarf. Milla is the result of that, though no one knew such until a few years later when the lady came back with Milla in toll - I was around by then. Didn’t really know what it all meant but suddenly I had an older sister whose ma left to focus on her craft since her one, Da, didn’t want her.”

 

“Grandfather choose grandma.” Stated Bella.

 

“Of course. He chose to honor the woman he had married then follow his desire to be with the woman he was made for. Milla’s ma never came back.”

 

Bella asked her voice fading out from their hearing near the end, “But why keep it secret? I mean besides keeping grandfather’s and grandmother’s reputation…”

 

“Because Bella, it was kinder to Milla to bring her across as a Stoor then a...a halfling. There are plenty of hobbits that dislike change, that don’t want to think about our past or history outside of the Shire. The truth behind Milla would have made the myth true and would have forced all those hobbits to remember the past they don’t want to remember. And for what? Persecution of Milla? The loss of reputation of father and mother? Scorn for Milla’s ma?”

 

Hildifons sighed heavily, “Till your children came we would have a dwarf come through the outer part of the Shire every six years or so. Dwarves have no interest in us so why should we bring such a headache on us? It would only case pain for the hobbit that started wondering if they would resonate with a dwarf. It would cause more arguments and disagreement between folk and it would be pointless unless dwarves start living with us. But they stick to their mountains and we stay in our fields.”

 

Chairs scrapped as the adults stood. “The book might show a time where we mingled but that has ended. Don’t know what happened. Don’t think anyone remembers but it ended and it doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon so stop. Lass, you’re my favorite niece don’t do this to yourself. You’ve always looked for what your parents had but you don’t need it to be happy.”

 

Fili frowned at the final words from Hildifons, “You might have a dwarf out there you resonate with more than any hobbit but that doesn’t mean it’ll make you happy. It only hurt da in the end. And it hurt his family too. I love you and if you want to follow this, fine, but I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was supposed to be the revelation of a living breathing dwobbit but it developed into more - what the true history of the "halfling" insult came from (in my mind) and that Bella is grasping for prefect love, mostly unconsciously (not exactly a new revaluation). 
> 
> Anyway, hope this was interesting. There might be Bella cuddles in the near future.
> 
> Hildifons Took is the birthday "boy"- turning 80 by the end of the week and is the sixth child of Old Took.


	55. Pie

Kili watched quietly as his nâmad rolled out the dough. She had been quiet all day. Sad and thoughtful. 

Fili had asked Kili to keep an eye on her while he and Ori looked into all the different dwarf books. They had the information they needed. Their aunt would be able to marry uncle or one of Ori’s brothers (not like that would happen though!). But the books might have more information. 

Something important might be there, like how a hobbit resonates with a dwarf. Maybe it would explain what resonating was. Kili got the feeling that it wasn’t the same as recognizing your One. Milla’s mama would have explained Ones to Old Took. Yet Mister Hildifons didn’t describe it the same way. Though he didn’t seem to know what Ones were either.

Ori and Fili would find out. They’d get the details so that they could help uncle understand what to expect. Hobbits were different enough from dwarves that uncle would put his foot in his mouth the moment he tried talking with auntie. It would be terrible. They couldn’t let that happen.

“Kili the dough is ready to flip into the pie pan.” Kili nodded, eyes falling to the thinly rolled dough. She had rolled it out across a board. Bella picked up one of the pie pans. “Watch and then I’ll help you do the next one, alright?”

“Watching.” Kili agreed. They shared a smile, warmth filling Bella’s expression before the sadness seeped back in. She looked down at the dough and carefully flipped the pan upside down before setting it onto the dough. Kili watched as his nâmad pulled the board off the counter and, placing a hand under the board and another over the flipped over pie pan, she flipped it all over. 

Some dough flopped onto the counter as she set it down. Bella lifted up the board to reveal the pie crust sitting slightly haphazardly in the pan. The hobbit pushed the dough down into the pie pan properly while stating, “Now that the crust is in, we make sure there’s no air bubbles and that the crust is sitting properly in the pan. Then,“ Bella picked up a small knife, “we cut the excess dough from around the pan like so. Now we poke the bottom so the crust doesn’t bubble up when cooking and it’s ready for the filling.” 

Kili stared at the now completed pie crust. It looked alright. “We’re making meat pies right?” Kili looked up at her. “For the birthday party?”

Bella smiled, “Yes, exactly. The others have already made the filling. Now, do you want to try?”

The little dwarfling nodded as he hopped off the stool he had been watching from. Bella dragged the stool over so Kili could reach the counter already prepped for the dough. Bella set the board down and then a mound of dough on top.

“First we roll it out.” Muttered Kili as he picked up the heavy wooden pin his nâmad had use to roll out her dough with. The little dwarf dropped the pin onto the dough, making the center flatten out. Then he pushed the pin away from him. The dough flattened. Kili pulled the pin back towards him. He stared down at the long, fairly straight line of flattened dough. Whole sections were too thick while the ends of the dough were too thin. 

Kili looked up at Bella with a frown. The frown deepened at the sight of the male hobbit grinning at his nâmad from the open window. Kili didn’t recognize him. His eyes narrowed. 

Bella frowned at Kili before turning to see what he was glaring at. The hobbit male grinned wider at Bella’s attention, “Hello Bell.”

“Moro!” 

Moro leaned onto the window seal, “Its been too long. I hear you’ve adopted a couple dwarflings.”

“Yes well, I haven’t been down here for the past few years...Time flies and all that.” Bella walked over to the window. “I’m caring for four little dwarflings. They’re absolute sweet hearts, the lot of them.”

“And a bit protective of you, too.” Moro added before whispering loudly, “If glares could kill, your little one over there would have sent me to the Ever Green.” 

Bella looked back at Kili with a frown, “Kili there’s no need for that! Moro is a old friend of mine. Come over here and meet him properly.”

Kili hopped down from the stool and stomped over to his nâmad. He smiled at the hobbit lad while Bella watched but as soon as she turned back to Moro his expression narrowed back into a glare. There weren’t supposed to be any suitors here.

“This is Kili.” Bella introduced him, placing a hand on his head.

Moro grinned down at Kili, “You know, Master Kili, Bell and I used to romp around these hills as little fauntlings. I’ve known her nearly my entire life. If you want any stories of the things she used to get up to, pies she used to steal, just come ask me.”

Bella smacked Moro’s arm, “None of that! I’m respectable and my dwarflings are too!” Kili looked up at her. She was smiling. 

Her smile grew as Moro leaned over to whisper at Kili, “That’s her alibi, no Baggins would do half the things a Took would! You’d be surprised how many folk believed it too. They fully bought in that she was more her father’s daughter then her mother’s. Ridiculous really!”

Moro looked up at Bella, “You’re making pies?”

“Meat ones for the party tomorrow.” Bella slide her fingers through Kili’s hair, “You coming?”

He grinned, “Of course I am! I have to just for your pies.” The hobbit lad suddenly looked sly, “Less of course, I could convince you to make me one of your marvelous turnovers with the leftovers?”

“Well, maybe.” Kili watched as Bella blushed. “Come back in a few hours and you might find something sitting on the window seal.”

Moro grinned, “Well I might just be back over in this area later. We’ll have to catch up at the party later.”

“Definitely.” Agreed Bella.

Kili scowled after the hobbit as he left. He didn’t like that hobbit at all. He had to find a way to get rid of him.

“Come on, we have some pies to make before we get to the turnovers.” Bella turned away with a soft humm.

A thought sprang to mind. Kill asked his nâmad as he climbed up the stool again, “Could I make Mister Moro’s turnover?”

Bella laughed warmly, “Oh so you do like him?” Bella handed Kili a wet cloth to clean his hands. “Of course you can sweetheart.” They shared another smile before Bella turned to the dough, “Now let me help you with this.”

An hour later Kili carefully folded the leftover dough over the pile of meat, creating a turnover. His eyes flickered over to Bella as she moved around the kitchen, humming contentedly away. The little dwarf watched her for a another few moments before she picked up the large platter of meat pies and carried it from the room, calling to him that she’d be back in a moment.

Kili took his chance, jumped off the stool and ran to the back door. Sliding outside, the little dwarf quickly went to some bushes by the door and dug up a pile of dirt. Then, carrying the dirty inside, Kili quickly returned to his stool and dumped the dirty into the last of the meat mixture. There was just enough left for one more turnover. 

That last turnover, filled with more dirty than meat, was finished just as Bella returned. “Nâmad can this one be for Mister Moro?”

“Hmm?” Bella wandered over as Kili wiped his hands with a cloth to clean them of meat and dirt. “Do we have anymore dough?”

“Ahuh, just a little.” Kili pointed to the tiny pile of dough left. 

Bella rolled the dough up into a ball before pressing it flat. Kili watched as she took a knife and carefully cut out a flower shape from the dough. “Now we just need to add it on the turnover with a little bit of egg like so.” Bella smiled as she press the flower onto the turnover. “There. Lets brush the rest of the egg over top them all like we did the pie crust and we can cook this all up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The suitor is a oc.


	56. Hugs

Fili laid in bed staring at the ceiling. Ori and he had spent all day looking through books. Neither of them knew enough Khuzdul to get more out of the them then they already had, though. The little they could read were hints of a rich history between Moria and the various tribes of wandering hobbits. 

It was fascinating. 

Kili rolled over with a quiet moan. Blue eyes glanced over at the pouting boy. Kili had been charged with watching over nâmad since the conversation they had overheard had left her sad. It was a good thing, too. His little brother had put a stop on some hobbit suitor trying to take nâmad away. Kili had gotten in trouble during it though. He had to go to bed without supper.

A noise beyond the bedroom caught Fili’s attention. The blond slid out of bed as the noise came again. 

“Fee?” muttered Kili.

Fili shuffled to the door as he whispered, “Go to bed.” Then he slide out the door. The fireplace was lit. Fili paused just outside the door. Aunt Bella sat on the couch in front of the fireplace. Her back was to him. Her shoulder shook.

The dwarfling frowned and walked purposely around to her. Nâmad didn’t notice Fili, giving the boy the chance to see her tears. Fili watched, feeling helpless, for a few moments. Finally the little boy shuffled over to his aunts side, crawled into the couch and hugged her. 

“Fili.” Whispered Bella even as she pulled him into a tight hug, “You should be in bed.”

Fili ignored her statement and gave his own with a muffled voice, his face tucked against Bella, “You’re sad.”

Bella tightened her hug for a second. Silence stretched between them but at last Bella responded. “Everyone is sad sometimes. But hugs make it better. Thank you.”

Fili shifted so his face wasn’t buried against his aunt. One of his ears pressed against her, the beat of his aunt’s heart pulsed through his head. His blue eyes reflected the dying light of the fire in the fireplace. “You can have a hug whenever you want. Next time you’re sad remember to ask for one.”

“I’ll remember.” Whispered Bella.

“I get hugs too, right?”

“Always.”

Fili sighed and shifted, his eyes growing heavy. “Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't go into details on the results of Kili's prank. I figured you'd all imagine something 10x better then what I could think to write.


	57. Chickens II

Gimli quietly followed behind Bella. He was distracted. He had been for most of the visit. His thoughts had been stuck on something important. 

Gimli looked up at his aunt. He was going to have to ask. There was no other way. He hoped she’d say yes.

“Sandanukinh?”

Bella hummed and Gimli felt a thrill at her automatic response. She recognized her name. The little dwarfling watched as Bella finished braiding Ori’s hair. The birthday party was just a few hours away.

“Can we get chickens?”

Ori yelped as Bella jerked in surprise, pulling his braided hair.She looked over at the youngest. “What?”

Gimli frowned at her. “Can we get chickens?” He dutifully repeated. Ori flashed him an annoyed look as his braid began to unravel in Bella’s fingers.

“Wha-” Bella shook her head and gave Gimli a leveled looked. “No...maybe…” She rubbed her nose with her free hand. “Let me think about it.”

Gimli nodded, pleased. They were getting chickens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... uh not sure what just happened.


	58. A Took's Party Part One

Bella sighed as she pushed the back door open with her hip, a platter of meat pies held firmly in hand. Cheer and music blared across the small Took valley. Jeweled lanterns glittered in the afternoon sunlight from the myrtle trees and multiple posts holding up stretched cotton drapes across tables not protected by the trees. 

The guests were arriving. The food was being brought out in a constant flow. Dancing and storytelling had already begun. She could see her boys playing dwarves and orcs with Took children. The first round of the conker’s tournament was almost completed. A riddling competition was about to begin. It would be a night to remember. 

“Bella!” Hands slid around her waist and Moro appeared with a grin. “No mud I hope.” He added as he grabbed one of the small, personal pies up and took a bite. 

Bella flushed at the reminder of what Kili had dared to do yesterday and turned bright red at the moan the hobbit lad gave as he chewed. “Moro, there’s food out on the tables.”

The lad hmmed, “Indeed but you’re not there.”

“Moro… I’m not-” Breathed Bella. Her words caught in her throat. What was she doing? Was she really going to decline such an offer? There was no point in waiting for that perfect resonance. He didn’t exist. Not in the Shire and dwarves didn’t have any interest in hobbits. He probably didn’t exist amongst dwarves either. 

Bella looked over at him. Hesitance glowed in her eyes. She had decided to focus on the dwarflings in her care. She had meant that decision and she would stand by it. 

Moro’s grin faded to a sad sort of smile. He took the platter from her hands. “I could wait.”

“No you couldn’t.” Whispered Bella. Her head dropped as she remembered her friends impatience. Half the food they had stolen had been because he hadn’t wanted to wait for it to be served properly. Bella looked up at him with a smile, “You’ve got a lass around here you must be eyeing, anyway. Right?”

His hesitance spoke volumes. He wasn’t going to wait but he’d be there with an offer next year, if he hadn’t already married. Finally Moro smiled and hefted the platter, “Come visit next year and I might take you dancing.”

Bella watched as her friend walked away. She could be happy with him. Couldn’t she?

She shook her head. It didn’t matter. Even though Moro promised to court come next Spring, he’ll be courting someone else by then. 

Squeals ran out and suddenly she was swarmed. Bella twisted around in surprise as children ran around her, some fleeing while others gave chase. Kili suddenly bursted into the crowd with a roar of, “Nâmad! I’ll save you!”

Ori roared behind him, waving a stick, “Take the orcs!”

Fili and Gimli followed with similar shouts.


	59. A Took's Party Part Two

Bella smiled as each of her boys politely thanked Uncle Hildifons for the presents. She quietly accepted the warm hug and kiss on the forehead from her uncle. 

Uncle Hildifons held her for a moment longer, whispering softly in her ear, “You found some good boys, sweetheart. They love you. We all do.”

Bella felt tears well up at that. She shared a smile with her uncle before the older hobbit handed her a small present. The conversation they had the day before echoed in her mind. 

She wouldn’t worry about it till next year but she’ll keep in mind what so many had been trying to get through to her. She didn’t have to find what her parents had to be happy. 

Her eyes fell to her boys, each one visibly thrumming in excitement and impatience. Their presents clenched in their hands. A smile spread across her face. Bella walked over to the closest dwarfling, Gimli, and planted a kiss on his forehead.

She was happy. Right now, with her family, she was happy.

Bella blinked as Ori pulled firmly at her sleeve. “Where’s mine?”

The hobbit lass smiled at that, “I’m not forgetting anyone.” She said before kissing Ori and then Fili on the forehead. Kili jokingly fled when she turned to him. Bella laughed as the other boys handed her their presents and gave chase.

By the time she decided to follow after them, Kili had been tackled and each boy had given the brunette sloppy kisses on his forehead. Fili smirked down at his brother before looking over at her. “Nâmad, your turn.”

Bella obliged, setting the present on the ground and using her skirt to wipe Kili’s forehead of slobber. Kili’s pout turned into a beam as she kissed him. He asked as she pulled away, “Can we open our presents now?”

She laughed warmly and nodded. The pile of presents were suddenly down to one as the boys grabbed and ripped open theirs. Bella opened her gift to find a red crystal acorn, one of the Took mathoms.

“Look!” Cried Ori, stuffing a box in Bella’s face. Bella carefully pulled Ori’s present away and smiled. He had been given a box filled with fluffy yarn and a few patterns written out in detail. 

Uncle Hildifons had come to her, asking about her boys when they had first come. He had wanted to get the boys something that actually worked for them. The lads wouldn’t have understood the honor of receiving a mathom. Most children didn’t.

“Very nice.” Bella said even as Gimli bounced at her side. Turning to the other redhead, Bella found a leather bound book held out to her. Gimli’s eyes were wide. Bella carefully took the book and opened it, reading the title. “The Art of Riddles by Rosa Took.”

Bella stared down at the book. This wasn’t just a present from Uncle Hildifons. This was a present from Aunt Rosa. She must have given the book over specifically for Gimli. The blond hobbit looked up at Gimli with a serious look. Handing the book back to her youngest charge, she told him firmly. “Take care of this.”

Gimli gave a short, sharp nod. Bella smiled at how serious the little boy was. 

She looked over at her least serious child. Kili sat staring down at his present. His hands seemed to tremble as the little boy carefully traced the edge of the wood. 

Bella bit her lip in worry as the little boy looked up at her with wet eyes. Kili carefully scooped up the old fiddle and whispered, “Thank you.”

“It’s yours now.” Bella whispered back as Kili carefully hugged her father’s fiddle. Her uncle could have gotten Kili a new one but Bella hadn’t liked the thought of her father’s fiddle being put in the corner forgotten once more. Kili didn’t seem to mind.

The hobbit lass turned to the last dwarfling. Her heart stopped. Fili held twin wooden swords with a brilliant grin. She was up and shouting out in outrage a second later. That gift had Isengar written all over it. He was so dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too tired to respond to all the wonderful comments for the last chapter. Thank you for them all! You'll hear from me tomorrow or Friday.
> 
> Cheers,  
> Novus Ars


	60. Clasps and Beads

Nori slowly walked down the main road of the small village. A small group of temporary booths stood on either side. Men, women, and children wandered up and down the road. It was apparently the local monthly fair.

 

The star haired dwarf sighed as he looked over the goods on sale and up for barter. It felt like ages since he had started searching for his little brother. He only found whispers and tales of lost children. The trail he followed had brought him here, to the edge of the mountains, to the first settlement of man in the hills leading down towards the main part of the river Lune.

 

He wasn't sure where to go from here. He needed information. He needed a sign from Mahal. He needed something that told him he was going in the right direction.

 

A large clasp on a booth’s table caught his eye. Even feet away, Nori knew it was of dwarven make. The thief slipped through the crowd, not bothering to hide his presence. He was one of the few dwarves around.

 

The clasp had the Durins seal etched with care on it. It wasn't something a dwarf would part with. It was like a family bead, something mostly used by children that wouldn't be able to keep beads in.

 

"Where'd ya get this?"

 

"What?" Asked the vendor. Nori pointed to the clasp. "Ah, traveling merchants bartered it away for a cart repair." The man rubbed his stubble covered jaw. "Bartered it from Miche, the lad that did the repair. What'cha offering for it?"

 

Noni frowned, "Well...Do you have anything else? And... well I've been looking for something, do ya know where the merchants were headed?"

 

The vendor nodded and ducked under his booth, explaining, "I've got a few pieces."

 

He pulled up a small pouch and poured the contents out. Nori's heart stopped. A multitude of dwarven beads and clasps rolled across the table. The bead he had carved for Ori two years ago, a birthday present, lay amongst them.

 

"See what you’re looking for?"

 

"What?"Breathed Novi before he remembered himself, "Ah,no. No, afraid not." Nori looked up at the man, "About these merchants...''

 

"Terrible luck that," the man shrugged,"I heard they were headed to Fornost. That was near two years ago, though."

 

The thief pressed his lips together. That was months away. He'd get there by Fall if he was lucky. Any clues would be gone by then. His eyes flickered down at the jewelry. Perhaps Mahal was with him and he would find more clues. "Many thanks."

 

"Aye, good luck."

 

Nori slipped away and waited till night to leave the village with a pouch of dwarven beads and clasps. Such things should not be sold like plain old jewelry. They should be returned to their owners. Hopeful most were not children.

  
His feet turned east. He had a long path to travel but there was a trail and Mahal was guiding him. Or shear luck. Either way, he was going to get to his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet again I'm too tired to respond properly to the epic reviews but the weekend is soon upon us, so expect to hear from me soon!
> 
> In the meantime, know that I read all the comments about 5-8 times within a couple of days of receiving them and find a moment to squeal (usually in the form of email notifications from Ao3 on my phone as I run around).


	61. Homebound

Ori trailed after everyone as Hobbiton came into view. Their visit to Tuckborough had been amazing. Even without learning about hobbits and dwarves being able to have families together, the redhead couldn’t help but feel that the trip had been well worth it.

 

Sigismond slowed to walk besides Ori and the two shared warm smiles. The little dwarf would miss his sneaking teacher. Sigismond had helped Ori learn how to sneak up to rabbits on the trip back to Hobbiton. He had gotten to claim the bragging rights of catching dinner last night. (Even though Sigismond had been the one to take down the rabbit. Ori had helped!)

 

He’d miss Amatista too. And the library.

 

He wasn’t going to miss all the noise and ruckus, though. Bag End was much more relaxing. He was glad they were almost home.

 

Ori stopped and grimaced. Home. It was home. But his brothers weren’t there so he couldn’t really call it home. Could he? He shouldn’t even if a large part of him wanted to.

 

“You alright?”

 

Ori looked up at Sigismond. “I thought of Bag End as home.” He whispered out.

 

Sigismond frowned in confusion, “What’s the matter with thinking that? It’s true.”

 

The ginger stared for a moment before admitting quietly, “But its not where my brothers are.”

 

“Ah,” The Took knelt besides Ori and pulled him into a one sided hug, “You know that family and home is here.” Sigismond poked Ori in the chest, at his heart. “It’s not some random place in a mountain or in a hill. Home is where your family is. It’s where you are happiest and the most care free.”

 

Ori stared down at the finger poking him. In his heart?

 

“And you know, Bella claimed all of you as family. Even if you run off and have another home somewhere else, she has made certain Bag End and Tuckborough is always open to you all. They aren’t really home, but they are places you’ll be able to live and find home at.” Sigismond rose back up, “Now come on, they’re leaving us behind!”

  
The little ginger rubbed at his chest, where he had been poke as he ran after Sigismond. Home was in his heart. Bella Baggins was his heart mama. Maybe he didn’t have anything to worry about? After all, his brothers were in his heart too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously this chapter should have been out sooner... anyway for some this all might come across as two chapters in one day (as it will be true for me, missed updating this yesterday)
> 
> The next chapter will be out late tonight so just a heads up.


	62. A Home Greeting

Fili was trying to hide his grin as he followed his nâmad. His twin wooden swords were secured to his waist. They were the perfect size and the perfect reminder of how amazing his teacher was. It was also a reminder of how his nâmad had destroyed said amazing teacher.

 

Blue eyes glanced up and followed his aunt’s back. She would be able to handle uncle. Isengar hadn’t stood a chance. Uncle wouldn’t either.

 

Fili stumbled as he almost ran into Bella. She had quite suddenly stopped. Fili looked around her with a frown. His frown became a glare.

 

Standing at Bag End’s door was the helper from the butcher’s stall. It was the hobbit that kept staring at their nâmad. He was the hobbit up to no good.

 

Bella almost hissed out as the hobbit lad spotted them and flashed a smirk at her, “Georgie. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?”

 

Fili yanked his wooden blades out. He would beat this hobbit until he left. This Georgie would learn to leave his aunt alone. He couldn’t have her.

 

“Really Bella, I simply wanted to be the first to greet you properly once you returned home.” Georgie’s eyes flickered down at Fili and the other two dwarflings. “I had assumed, of course, that the...children would have stayed with the Tooks. Your Took relatives would be better suited to care for them and find some dwarves to give them to.”

 

Bella grabbed Fili’s shoulder, stopping him from charging. “It is a good afternoon, isn’t it?”

 

Confusion pulled Georgie’s self assured smirk down, “Well yes but-”

 

“Great, you’ve greeted me. Now I and my children have just traveled for two days. You’ll have to greet me again next I make it to the butchers. Have a wonderful afternoon.”

 

“What- bu-”

 

Another voice spoke up, “Brilliant, be a good fellow and let the butcher know that I’ll be stopping by for some jerky. Don’t much feel like rabbit for the trip home.”

 

Fili looked behind him. Sigismond, Ori, and Flambard stood. Flambard casually waved his hand at Georgie. “Well, be off good sir! I’d like to be assured some jerky is still present when Sigismond and I stop by. It is out of our way, after all.”

 

The blond looked back at Georgie. He looked like he had bitten into a lemon. “Yes, of course Master Took. Of course.” The butcher assistant said as he stepped back through the gate and nearly fled past them.

 

 


	63. Morning of Plans

Bella shuffled through the house. Morning light streamed through Bag End’s hall. Being back home was nice. She always appreciated the peace and quiet of home after visiting her Took relatives.

 

As relaxing as it was, she couldn’t really lazy around all morning. The children were sleeping in at the moment. It was the perfect time to finalize things.

 

Bella picked up the pile of letters she had collected yesterday. Two weeks worth of mail to look through and respond to could take all day but she had an agenda. The hobbit lass wandered into the kitchen as she flipped through the pile. There was a birthday party to manage. And there was the midsummers celebration to prepare for, too.

 

The hobbit lass created three piles of letters between steeping a lovely pot of camomile tea. One was responses for the party, another was from the merchants about the party, and the last were miscellaneous letters which were most likely about the midsummer party.

 

She hummed softly as she breathed in the scent of camomile, reading over the positive responses. As expected, everyone invited were coming. Many not invited would likely show up also. Of course, Bella knew to expect such. People didn’t miss a Baggins party if they could get away with it and a celebration for four birthdays all at once promised to be a grand thing.

 

Bella’s eyes lit up as she reached the bottom of the merchant letters. Four cakes were set and ready to be created, each different from the other. All the different ingredients for meat pies and treats for the party had been collected or pre-purchased. Any issues with the food were unlikely.

 

All the various presents for the guests had been sorted. Fili had helped pick them all out and Bella made certain to get extra of each type. She just needed to pick out the mathoms to gift certain relatives and close friends.

 

The party tree decorations and set up had been planned out by Ruby while they were away. She just needed to finalize them with her. Most of the decor would be identical to Dora’s coming out party.

 

But the most important thing was ready to be picked up. She needed to see about leaving the boys with Fosco and Ruby. Bella frowned. Maybe she’d leave them over there tomorrow. Or the next day. They had just gotten home after all. It could wait a few days.

 

Bella folded all the open letters up and slipped quietly through the hall to her study. There she hide them in a draw while pulling out parchment and quill. It wouldn’t do for Ori to find any evidence of the party.

 

The hobbit lass returned to the kitchen and poured herself another cup before settling down to scribe a letter to Ruby. Best get the request over to her first thing.

 

“We making something?” Yawned out Kili has he wandered into the kitchen a few minutes later.

 

Bella looked up from the letter she was reading - some details about the midsummer party plans that went out every year. “Of course dear, do you want to mix together muffins? We could have some sausage with them.”

 

“And bacon.” Mumbled Kili in agreement.

 

Gimli stumbled in a second later, rubbing at his eyes. “Eggs.”

 

“Ah, we don’t have enough eggs for muffins and cooking up.” Bella apologized after a thought. “Sigismond had gotten just a little bit of food so we could wait till the afternoon to go to the market.”

 

Kili pouted, “We’re making muffins.”

 

Bella hesitated as the half awake redhead frowned. Gimli grumbled out before leaving the kitchen, “We need chickens.”

 

The brunette dwarf watched him leave with a thoughtful frown before looking back at Bella, “He might have a point.”

  
Bella groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...the chickens just sort of popped in at the end. XD


	64. Dwarves and Orcs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 15 of 25 days of Christmas

Gimli ran through the house with a mighty roar. Dudo yelled at his side, raising his fist in the air as if brandishing a sword. Kili, Fili and Drogo ran away from them. They were defeating the orcs.

It had taken a little convincing but their Baggin’s cousins had agreed to playing dwarves and orcs. Ori was hidden somewhere, ready to trap the orcs so Gimli and Dudo could beat them up.

The redhead grinned as he dodged around a chair. He was going to defeat them. Dwarves were going to win. They always won.

Drogo yelped in surprise but dodged a pillow Ori threw as he appeared. The pillow slammed into Kili, knocking him down. Dudo tackled Fili’s legs. Gimli jumped on a chair and tackled Drogo with a yell, “Khazâd ai-mênu!”

The children lay sprawled across the dining room floor. Gimli could hear his heart pounding in his head has he lay wrapped firmly around the orc, restraining it. Drogo couldn’t escape.

“Give up?” Asked Ori.

The orcs took a moment to reply. Kili grumbled quietly under Ori. Fili mumbled a yes and Drogo grumpily nodded.

Gimli unlatched his legs and arms, sitting up on the hobbit. The little dwarfling grinned down at the faunt, heady with exultation. They won. Gimli said in triumph, “Sandanukinh going to marry a dwarf. Hobbits can be Ones.”

Drogo gave Gimli a confused look, “What?”

Ori explained with a smirk, “Dwarves and hobbits can resonate. Georgie isn’t going to marry Bella. One of my brothers will.”

“Naha!” Cried Kili from under the ginger, “She’s going to marry uncle!”

“What!” Ori cried out.

Fili sat up with a nodded, “She is.”

“Dwarves resonate with us?” Interrupted Drogo in surprise. 

“Does that mean sis is going to marry a dwarf?” Added Dudo.

Drogo cried out, “Of course she isn’t”, at the same time as Fili shrugging answered, “It’s possible.”

A few minutes later Ruby Baggins appeared, investigating the loud shouts of “yeshuh” and “nah”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dwarves are upon you! = Khazâd ai-mênu


	65. Midsummer Party - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 16 of 25 (late)

Kili carried the basket of cinnamon biscuits. His tummy was full of luncheon but he was sure he could find room for more. His dark eyes swept over the tables filled with goodies under the party tree.

 

They were still a good few minutes from the party but traveling downhill had its advantages. Kili could spy the best foods - all of them scattered about around the less than acceptable ones (mostly vegetables).

 

Kili shared a look with Ori. Between the two of them they’ll be able to lose any of the veggies Nâmad forced on their plates. Today wasn’t a day for weed eating. It was a feast and party. It was a day for meat.

 

His eyes dropped to the biscuits he was carrying. And sweets. Never forget the sweets.

 

Sometime later, now filling absolutely full and ready for a nap, Kili and the other three dwarfling slowly wandered around the party. There were multiple games of conkers happening. A few rounds of tag and hide & seek were occurring, mingling with each other as the faunts tagged or tackled anyone near them.

 

Dudo came charging at them with his fist raised as if holding a sword. The little boy stopped in front of Gimli and shouted, “Shield brother! Have the orcs returned?”

 

Kili interrupted quickly, his tummy grumbling at the thought of being tackled, “We’re not playing that now!”

 

The little faunt dropped his hand with a frown before some thought sparked a smile back, “Primula is coming today.”

 

“Shut it!” Cried Drogo as he appeared behind his brother. He looked up at the older dwarves, “Let join a game of conkers!”

 

Fili groaned behind Kili but Kili paid him no mind as he grinned, “Lets!”

 

The rest of the afternoon flew by, Kili made it through to be one of the top ten children conker players but didn’t get beyond that. There was a strategy to the game the dwarfling couldn’t quite understand. But, Kili smiled down at the ribbon he had just won, it was still fun.

 

Kili took the rest of his ribbons from a exasperated and amused Fili - twenty for the twenty games he had played - and looked around for Nâmad. He had enough ribbons to brag about now!

 

He quickly spotted Gimli play chase and Ori talking to some older hobbits that were sitting around with a large book in the middle. But where was his aunt?

 

There! His grin dropped. The butcher’s assistant was standing too close to her. They were at the edge of the party. No one else seemed to have noticed them. “Fee.” Kili hissed, pointing at what he was seeing.

 

Fili went flying across the party. Kili quickly ran after him.

 

“You’re not sitting with me and that is final!” Hissed Bella in frustration.

 

Georgie growled back, “Those little brats are no reason to call off our marriage. You know we’re meant to be. Now, I got a nice spot over here for the evening.” Georgie grabbed Bella’s arm. He leered down at her as he pulled her close. Bella’s eyes widened with shock, “Once night falls, we can slip out into the hay like a proper couple. Then by the harvest festival, by the Lady’s blessing, you’ll be showing with our first child.”

 

“Let go of me.”

 

“What’s the point of fighting this? We’re the closest to resonating with each other. You’re my best option and I’m yours.” The hobbit lad purred out the last part as he pulled Bella to his chest.

 

Kili and Fili finally reacted. Both slammed their feet into the back of Georgie’s shines. The hobbit cried out in surprise, letting go of Bella. Kili pulled their auntie back, away from the jerk while Fili took a firm stance between them.

 

“Stay away from our Nâmad!” Fili glared up at him.  “She’s not interested.”

 

Fili’s stance was firm, hands grasped at his waist where his wooden swords would have been if Bella hadn’t insisted the blades wouldn’t be necessary. She had been wrong but hobbits were soft things; they didn’t think about the possible needs for a sword.

 

Kili watch all this and felt proud of having Fili as his brother. Fili was so amazing right now. Amad and Adad would be proud.

  
Georgie glared down at Fili but left. They had drawn the attention of some other hobbits. 


	66. Midsummer Party - Part 2

Ori settled by his kurâmad. Gimli had already claimed her lap. Fili and Kili sat quietly by her other side. Kili had gotten Ori and Gimli as soon as he could. He had explained what Georgie had done. 

The ginger clenched at his plate. That hobbit wasn’t going to get near his mama. Not again. 

Ori glanced up at the party. The sun was setting and everyone were in small groups eating dinner. Everything had started to go quiet. 

“Will there be dancing after?” Asked Kili. Ori turned to the conversation. He couldn’t see any instruments. The last party had instruments present.

“Some dance but most just sit and…” Bella shrugged with a soft smile. “listen.”

Ori blinked slowly at that before looking around again. He still saw no instruments. “But there’s no instruments, Kurâmad.”

Bella hummed softly with a warm smile. She pulled Ori to her side and tugged Kili and Fili to her other. “Just relax and listen.” Her cheek settled on the top of Kili’s head. “Listen.”

The sun set behind the party tree and stars began to shine. No family lanterns lit the area. No candles. No torches.

Only moonlight shined.

“Nâmad?” Whispered Fili. The entire party was silent.

Bella shook her head at him and pressed her lips with a finger. Quiet.

Then, after many minutes, a sound whispered through wind. Sound slowly rose in volume. It was all around. It wasn’t the same sound. It was many.

“Oh.” Breathed Ori as he heard it. A rumble. The tapping of a drum. Ori looked down at his chest as the drum tapped in time with his heart. Then another drum joined it.

Ori looked up at Bella with wide eyes as the two drums moved away from the beat of his heart but still played from him. A third drum whispered into existence as Bella smiled at him. 

That’s when Ori noticed the sounds again. Different drums rumbled from Fili. A deep, almost ringing sound sang from Kili. Gimli had both sounds resounding from his chest. 

Bella had flutes. 

Music was slowly increasing in volume all around them. The songs from each person began to mingle and clash. Some sounded similar, like the pieces were all part of the same song. Others had only the faintest hint of relation, as if the music was from different parts of that melody. A different act.

Ori’s music mingled slowly with his fellow dwarflings. Soon their songs rang in tune, not resonating but related - part of the same section of music. There were pieces missing to complete the song but they each belonged with the others. 

Then Kurâmad’s flutes began to mingle. It was right.

Ori jerked at the sound of movement. Hobbits were rising. Some were moving to the cleared center and began dancing to their song. Others were slipping out as couples, hand in hand, to the growing hay.

Bella’s whisper finished breaking the moment, though the music continued to sing softly in the background as if it had always been there, “It is the Music. Every Midsummer night, if you’re willing to stop and listen, you can hear it. You can hear the part of the Music that you make up...and get a glance into the greatness of it all.”

The ginger pressed himself more firmly to his mama’s side and listened to his music mingle with her own. Their parts mingled together. They were meant to be together. 

Ori smiled.

Another song grew close to them. Ori reluctantly looked up to find Drogo standing uncertainly in front of him with a tiny little hobbit girl. The little dwarfling frowned. He could only hear one song. Everyone had a song. Some mingled and connected with another more than the rest but they all had songs. 

“Umm...I wanted you to meet Primula. And to hear our resonation! Bella, you hadn’t gotten a chance last midsummer. And everyone else.”

Primula sweetly toddled over. The song separated, ever so slightly, into two. Ori’s eyes widened. Even from the separation it was clear the two’s songs worked in perfect harmony. Drogo and Primula had separate songs that worked perfectly together.

Ori turned and met the wide eyed stare of Fili. Drogo and Primula, though children, had found their Ones within each other. Their songs resonated and became One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we finally. Finally. gotten the explanation of hobbit resonating.
> 
> the Music is a cannon thing. If you don't know it, it would be easiest if you googled Music of the Ainur. That should explain it all.
> 
> Cheers,  
> NovusArs
> 
> ps - comments will get answered tomorrow. I'm going to go sleep.


	67. Duty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late. I'm late for a   
> Very important date.... so here's yesterdays chapter.

Thorin paused as the entrance of the caverns his people had started calling his Halls came into view. He had failed them. Thorin clenched his fist. His nephews were gone. Other children of his people were missing. His budding hall was to be emptied. The Erebor guilds had even more restrictions to adhere to.

The Blue Mountains were no place to make a home. They were not welcome here.

But they head no where else to go.

Balin turned back towards Thorin, “Laddie, lets be off now.”

Thorin nodded and slowly walked the worn dirt path. Vili moved in a odd reluctant rush into the mountain. The prince would let his brother-in-law confirm the truth with Dis. The blond could deal with the backlash of the truth - Fili and Kili were missing and they had no leads. Dis never could hold her emotions at bay around Vili.

The dark haired prince shook his head and looked over at Balin. “Best to collect the council. We need to spread the word and start planning the evacuations.”

“Aye...And what of the little lads?” Asked Balin, his voice going quiet near the end.

Thorin turned away. His duty was to his people and Oin had already explained the extent of the search for the children. 

“We must prepare for the move from the caverns and the new restrictions being implemented.” Thorin paused for a moment. They would get everything prepared quickly. He would work through nights to make it happen. “Then I will join Dwalin or Gloin in the search areas.”

Thorin turned back to Balin. The white haired dwarf nodded, understanding gleaming sadly in his eyes. 

His duty and his people came first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid that I have to post pone todays till tomorrow (there will be 2). 
> 
> Between working till past midnight yesterday on an important marketing audit and helping with my nieces as my sister-in-law and bro run off to the hospital in preps for bringing the next baby into the world, I haven't had a moment to really write.
> 
> Please excuse any grammar issues - I just wrote this up.


	68. Surprise!

Gimli followed Bella around the market. All four of them were following her and it wasn’t because of Georgie. Nope, not at all.  
Gimli glanced over at the butchers but didn’t see the hobbit. The ginger nodded at the absence. The hobbit was hiding from them. Fili had scared him off proper.

“Gimli, come on!” Called Bella.

The littlest dwarfling rushed to catch up. It was afternoon and they were at the market, which was unusual since they had just been there this morning. Nâmad had forgotten something, though.

Gimli’s eyes wandered back to the butcher shop. Georgie better stay away or he’d beat him up.

A finger tapped his nose. Gimli went cross eyed and then followed the finger up the attached arm into Bella’s amused face. 

“You’re rather distracted today.” Bella remarked softly as she offered her hand to him. Gimli shrugged, not feeling like bringing up the horrible hobbit, and took the offered hand.

Bella guided the boys back through the market but not towards Bag End. She took them down one of the many path towards the Party Tree. 

“Nâmad, where we going?” Asked Kili.

Ori added in confusion. “We haven’t bought anything from the market yet.”

Their hobbit smiled over at them. “We’re going visiting.”

They continued down the path for a few minutes before Ori hesitantly asked, “Shouldn’t we bring something?”

Kili said as they turned down the path. “And who we go-!” 

“SURPRISE!” Shouted a crowed of hobbits. The Party tree was filled with tables and Bag End lanterns. There were hobbit everywhere. And a sign was strung up Pronouncing “Happy Birthday to Fili, Ori, Kili & Gimli”.

All four dwarflings stood stock still for a second. Then Gimli roared in excitement and tackled his aunt. The other three joined a second later. Sandanukinh had thrown him, them, a birthday party!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The birthday party has come at last!


	69. Speech

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20/25

Bella sat back at a side table, her head resting against a propped hand. Kili was winning the conkers game with a cheery grin. She could spy Fili and Ori playing dwarves and orcs in the back. They had roped in some of the adults to play the part of the orcs. Sigismond and Flambard were one of the few being bombarded by children. Gimli was dancing with Aunt Rosa. 

The party was a raving success. Some of her Took relatives had traveled down for the day. A number of Baggins were mingling and playing with the children too. She could spy a few folk that hadn’t been invited.

All in all, exactly what she had hoped for and expected.

Bella looked up as the chair at her side was pulled back. Uncle Isengar settled in it. The black eye she had given him had faded over the week and half since they had been in Tuckborough. 

“I hear you have a pest problem.” Isengar remarked, by passing niceties as usual.

The hobbit lass stared blankly at him, her mind drawing a blank. “Sorry?”

“A hobbiton lad is bothering you.”

Georgie.

“Oh.” Breathed Bella. Flambard and Sigismond must had informed him. If he knew, then all her Took uncles knew; which meant all her aunts knew and all the cousin would soon. 

Bella knew she had to nip this in the butt now. “It’s noth…” The Midsummer party jumped to mind before she could finish her statement. It wasn’t nothing. But Georgie hadn’t bothered her since. “I think its been taken care of.” 

Her uncle frowned. “I see.” Isengar leaned back into his chair. “You don’t mind me and the lads staying over for a few days. We’ve taken a room at the inn.”

Bella couldn’t help but smile at that. As much as she knew she could take care of herself and she knew they knew that fact, it was nice that they would be near if she needed them. “The boys would love that.”

“Excellent.” Isengar paused for a second. “Does that mean I can continue Fili’s training.”

“Do you want another black eye?”

“ah, that’s a no then?” 

Bella sighed heavily. A group of hobbits came trooping out with four birthday cakes. Bella stood as the call to gather for the speech rang out. “As long as you are careful, fine.” Bella looked down at her seated uncle. “He’s not one of your Bounder trainees.”

Insengar smiled up at her as the dwarfling in question came running over with a brilliant grin. “Of course.”

The party slowly quieted as the crowd settled into seats. The birthday boys were all thrumming with energy at the table Bella had just vacated. Their eyes glowed with excitement and joy. Smiles with stretched helplessly across their faces.

Bella smiled at the sight.

A hobbit, one of the Proudfoots, started the chanting call for the birthday speech. The hobbit lass straightened her dress and back, and took a steadying breath. As none of the boys were of age, the speech was her duty. She climbed up onto the offered stool and beamed out at everyone.

“My dear Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots.” Bella called out. Cheers rang out throughout the crowd at each surname was called. “Today we’re celebrating my charges birthdays!”

Bella could see her boys perk up as the crowd chanted eagerly out, “Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!”

She raised a hand. “Now, my boys have been with us far too short a time for all of you to get to know them well and I’m sure many of you don’t care to know them as well as you should like. Some of you may even care less that they’ve been claimed as Bagginses and Tooks. But Bagginses and Tooks they are, so in good old Tookish fashion, I’d like you all to welcome the birthday boys - Fili and Kili, Ori and Gimli!”

There was a pause from most of the hobbits before birthday cheers rang out. Then the cakes were cut and desert was had.

Bella made a beeline back to her seat. Her boys were already devouring their birthday cakes and were too involved in the sweets to notice her.  
Her relative seated at the table simply gave her amused looks. They understood her speech just as every adult present. 

She had claimed the dwarflings as hers through family flowers. Now she had announced it publicly. Even if the boys never chose to bare either surname, they were Baggins and, by permission of the Took head, they were Took.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now I'm caught on up chapters. :D


	70. Gifts

Fili pushed the door open for his Nâmad. The party had gone long into the night and he was tired. Happy and tired. The birthday party had been more amazing than he had imagined. It helped that he hadn’t been aware when it was going to happen.

The blond helpfully closed and locked the door after Bella walked in carrying a half asleep Gimli. It was time for bed. Fili followed Kili and Ori, both having the same idea.

“Boys, wait.” Called Bella.

Fili looked back at her. Nâmad swiped her feet across the bristled rug, cleaning any dirt from her soles before for waving a hand at them to follow. Fili glanced at his little brother. Kili didn’t notice, stumbling sleepily after their nâmad. The blond turned to Ori instead. The ginger shrugged. He had no idea either.

Bella settled Gimli down in one of the wingback chairs by the fireplace before kneeling and lighting the logs. Then she stood and slipped out of the room. “Just a sec.”

The four dwarflings settled around the fire. Their eyes growing heavy as they watch the flames. 

Bella reappeared before they could fall asleep, though it was close for Gimli. It took a shake of his shoulders to get his eyes to stay open.

The hobbit knelt in front of them. “I know it’s late but there is one last thing that needs to be done for your birthdays.”

Fili suddenly felt more awake. His eyes focused on his aunt and noticed for the first time a familiar, covered basket.   
Bella pulled the basket in front of them. “As you know the birthday host gives his guests gifts for coming to the party. All of you did marvelous helping distribute the gifts.” Bella pull the cloth up from the basket, but at an angle that kept the children from seeing inside. She looked up at them with a shy smile, “But you told me that dwarves do it the opposite way.”

Fili straighten up at those words. He saw Ori do the same at the corner of his eye. Gimli and Kili was still too tired for her words to click. Blue eyes focused on the basket.

“I got each of you a present.” Gimli and Kili suddenly sat up straight. Bella became uncertain, “It’s the same for each of you but I hope you like it all the same.”

Bella pulled out a stone lantern and handed it to Fili. Then she pulled out another and another until each boy held their own lantern. The only difference between the lanterns were the patterns they were carved with and the organic shape the silvery blue metal in the middle was faintly shaped into. Each lantern had a candle set in the middle, just small enough to give the wax a safe area to drain into for easy cleanup.

She had given them Bag End lanterns.

“I’ve claimed you as Baggins and as Tooks but, perhaps most importantly, you are also of Bag End. My home will always be open to you all.” Bella smiled at the boys. “You’re family, always.”

Fili’s eyes filled with tears and he found himself sniffing. They were family, even if she didn’t marry uncle.

“Now lets get off to bed, shall we?”

Each boy dutifully went to bed. Fili carefully set his lantern at his bedside. Ori did the same from across the room. A few minutes later, Bella quietly came in with a lit stick and lit each of the lanterns. Soft silvery, gold light filled the room.

Bella gave both boys kisses on their foreheads and slipped back out. Fili fell asleep staring into his lantern.


	71. Mama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 22/25 Almost there!

Ori sat quietly staring across the bed to his lantern. Morning light reflected of the blueish metal inside. The carved patterns reminded him of a moderately complex knitting pattern called Fall Leaves.

It was perfect.

A knock at the door pulled his attention away. His kurâmad smiled at him as she leaned against the door frame. 

“You getting up? The others are running around outside with Sigismond and the other Tooks.”

Ori shook his head. “I’m good Kurâmad.”

Bella hesitated before entering the bedroom and sitting down at Ori’s side. “Ori, I know that your language is secret...but..but Amad means mother, right?”

Ori stilled. His heart hammering in his chest as he dropped his gaze to his hands.

“What does kurâmad and nâmad mean, then?”

Thoughts ran wild. His mama… Bella wanted to know but she couldn’t! What if she didn’t want to be his mama. What if he ruined it for everyone, not just himself, by telling her?

A hand laid onto his head and a thumb rubbed into his forehead. “It’s alright, sweetheart. You don’t need to tell me. it’s silly of me to ask. I know it’s a secret.” Bella got up and straightened her dress with nervous fingers. “I let my curiosity get the better of me. It happens.”

Ori looked up from his nervously moving hands. Bella smiled down at him. “It is alright.” She looked to the entry. “I’ll go make us some cookies for afternoon tea.”

The gingers eyes dropped and caught sight of the lantern. Bella’s words from last night rang. Always family.

“Mama.” Bella stilled.

Ori looked at her back. “Kurâmad means mama of my heart.” He whispered. Bella twisted around and moved too quickly for Ori to understand. One second he had been staring at her back the next he was in her lap being cuddled to death.

A few minutes later Bella pulled away slightly and smiled tearfully down at him. “I love you, too.”

Ori’s eyes became round before tears welled out and fell unrestrained. His little arms wrapped up around Bella’s neck and he tucked his head against her neck. He whispered back. “Love you.”


	72. What's in a Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 23/25

Kili scrubbed his ears till they were squeaky clean. Ori was smiling helplessly. He had been all day but Kili couldn’t blame him. Bella had accepted her position as his mother. They should still explain that she was their aunt too but they could wait a few days. 

The black haired child watched as Sigismond and Flambard smacked each other with bubbles. Nâmad had foolishly left them in charge so she could clean up the kitchen.

She should really have had them clean the kitchen as the two Tooks had been the ones to make the pot of soup explode. Then again, who knows what they would do to the kitchen when tasked to clean it. 

Kili grinned. Nothing good.

“She’s my kurâmad.” Whispered Ori. Joy glowed from his entire being.

A thought crossed Kilis mind as he watch Ori continue to bask in pure joy. Nâmad needed a proper name. “We should give her a inner name.”

The other three dwarflings stared over at Kili. Inner names, the secret name of each dwarf, was gifted on their coming of age by their closest family which was usually their parents. To gift their Nâmad an inner name meant naming her an adopted dwarf. 

“Can we do that?” Ask Ori.

“It’s a secret name. No one but Nâmad and us would know.” Gimli stated matter of factly.

“What’s secret?” 

The four boys stilled and looked over as one at Flambard. 

“Nothing!” Cried the four boys in near unison. 

Flambard grinned widely and shared a look with Sigismond. The two Tooks looked expectantly back. “What’s the secret?” They repeated at the same time.

“Nothing!”

“What is it?”

“Nothing!”

It wasn’t till bedtime that Kili could bring it up again. The Tooks had dragged Bella away for the moment, leaving the boys to cleanup for bed. “I still think we should.” Kili whispered. “She’s our nâmad!”

“Well…” Fili hesitated. “We really should ask uncle if its alright but if it was, what would we call her?”

“Sandanukinh.” Gimli said.

Ori shook his head with a thoughtful frown. “No. It’s a good name, Gimli. But it is your name for her...If we’re going to give her one, it has to be from all of us.”

Silence stretched between the four boys. Finally Kili bemoaned, “No wonder it takes till we’re of age to get our names! I has to take forever to figure out what name fits right.”

“Yeah.” Whispered Fili. The blond smiled at Kili. “Lets think on it and, maybe we should think on it until uncle shows up. That way we have time to figure out the name and be able to find out if its alright giving her one.”

Kili pouted even as Ori nodded in agreement. “I guess.”

Gimli simply scowled at them. “Sandanukinh is the perfect name.”


	73. Afternoon Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 24/25

Bella let her relatives in. It was afternoon tea and, while the boys were off playing with Sigismond, Flambard, Drogo and Dudo, most of the adults were congregating at Bag End. She didn’t know where Isengar had run off to but Rosa was present, helping pull out extra tea cakes. Uncle Bodo Proudfoot and Aunt Linda, Uncle Lungo Baggins and Aunt Camelia, Fosco and Ruby, and Aunt Belba without her husband, Rudigar Bolger, had all decided to come on the same day.  
  
It was a conspiracy.  
  
Each of her relatives might have sent their requests separately but there was no way they could have request tea at the same day without coordinating with each other. The only question was what they all needed to be present for.   
  
Soon the hobbits settled around the table politely sipping tea and nibbling on various tea treats. Various niceties passed between them - talk of weather and Bella’s dwarfling birthday party, how their various children were doing, and so on. Finally Aunt Camelia spoke up with a careful remark.  
  
“I hear Georgie’s waiting for you to start courting again, dear.”  
  
Bella paused mid bite. Uncle Rudigar shifted upright. The rest of her relatives were better at hiding their interest but it was obvious. This was the topic they all wanted to discuss.  
  
She swallowed and slowly answered. “Is he? I’ve informed him that I’m uninterested.”  
  
“Have you?” Asked Lungo his eyes looking hard at her.  
  
Bella nodded. “I have.”  
  
Aunt Linda hummed, “Then dear Rosa was correct, this boy needs to be warned off proper and watched.”  
  
“I’ve taken care of it.” Bella countered but her relatives didn’t seem to care, all nodding and murmuring agreements to Linda’s statement.  
  
Rudigar swung his fork around, “The butcher’s is on the way home, I’ll let the lad know that his bragging and insistence about this is improper. Highly improper.”  
  
Bella snapped her head around, “Wait, what bragging?”  
  
Ruby patted Bella’s arm kindly and said, “You needn’t worry about the lies that boy has been spreading. I thought he had been such a nice boy but clearly he’s simply good at acting.” Even as Linda spoke up.  
  
“He’s not there.” Bella’s aunt humphed, “I inquired just this morning when picking up some venison for tonight. The boy has been gone for the last few days.” Linda leaned in, Bella and Ruby turning to her, “He left a few days after midsummer.”  
  
“Where’d he run off to?” Ask Rosa with a frown.  
  
Linda shrugged with a slight smile and leaned back in her chair with satisfaction. “He’s supposedly visiting family in Bree.”  
  
Bella frowned thoughtfully at that. Georgie didn’t seem the type to go to Bree. She had certainly never heard of him going to visit any family.  
  
“But I asked his mother, causal like.” Bodo continued for his wife, “They don’t have any family in Bree. A cousin had lived there for a few years but has since moved and Georgie had never been close to that cousin either way.”   
  
“Then why’d he travel so far out? I mean leaving the Shire, of all things!” Cried Belba.  
  
The various Baggins relatives shrugged. None could think of an acceptable reason for such a trip. The conversation soon dissolved into other gossip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Belated but well. Merry Christmas! The last chapter for the holidays will be out later tonight.


	74. Actions Speak Louder than Words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 25/25 - Merry Christmas to any who's just tuning in!

A sharp knock rang out. Bella looked up from her book. It was too early for anyone to come calling. Luncheon hadn’t even passed. The hobbit stood and, meeting the inquiring gaze of four little dwarflings, waved for them to continue with their activities. 

Whomever was on the other side of the door knocked sharply out again. It must be urgent. Bella pulled the door open.

Georgie stood on the other side.

“Georgie.” Bella stated, louder and more forcefully than polite. “Good morning.” She finished, fixing her tone as she did so.

“Bella I’ve found dwarves.” Georgie announced waving his hand back behind him. Bella glanced behind him, seeing three bearded individuals before flicking her gaze back at the hobbit.

“Excuse me?” She demanded. Outrage filled her. Georgie had never asked any details about the boys. How had he known who to find? Maybe...maybe he had asked one of the bounders.

Georgie smiled sharply at her, “I found dwarves to take the boys to their family.”

“We don’t know them.” Fili stated from behind her, making Bella jump. Bella looked back at the dwarves for a second more. All she saw was leather and hair. Reddish-orange, brown, and black.

Ori whispered out, “Look like broadbeams.”

Bella chose to ignore the last remark, she had no clue what Ori meant by the statement, and instead focused back on Georgie. Fury filled her.

“You want me to give over my boys to a group of strange dwarves?” She hissed out.

Georgie scowled at her. “They aren’t our children. They’re dwarves.” The hobbit stepped closer. “They belong with their own kind.”

The blond hobbit lass frowned hard at him. “I’ll hand the boys back but I will not just hand them over to the first group of dwarves that show up!”

Bella jerked as Georgie grabbed her arm, “They are getting between us! We should be preparing to announce our marriage during the harvest!”

“We’re not marrying!” Snarled Bella. Georgie scowled at her and yanked on her arm, his grasp tightening. “Let go!”

“Now wait a sec here!” Cried a new voice at the same time as war cries rang out. Georgie was attacked by boys and wooden swords. But the attack didn’t stop him from pulling Bella with him as he tried to get away from the dwarflings.

The hobbit grabbed her waist. He was cursing out the boys. Bella tried to kick him and push at his chest. “Let go of me!”

Suddenly Bella found herself being pulled away from Georgie. She looked up to find Georgie pinned under a furious Isengar. Her boys were still attacking the now downed hobbit. 

The arms around her waist tightened for a second. A voice rumbled out, “You alright lass?”

Bella blinked slowly at the odd accent. Looking down revealed large arms covered in thick cotton and leather. She was being held by a dwarf. She was leaning against a dwarf. Bella sprang up and away from the stranger. Twirling around, the hobbit lass stared slightly up at one of the dwarves Georgie had brought here.

Laugh lines framed warm brown eyes glowing with uncertain worry. A long mustache framed a frown, though she had the impression it would usually be a smile or grin. A short beard just under his lip was also framed by the hanging mustache. Brown hair was braided into pigtails that seemed to defy gravity, they were braided so tightly. A furred, ridiculous hat finished the appearance.

The dwarf shifted, “We didn’t mean ta get between ya and the lad. He just said some little’uns were in need of getting home.” He looked back at the other two dwarves for a second, “Me kin and I are heading back to the Blue Mountains. The hobbit lad said the little’uns belonged there….” 

Bella stared for a moment longer. “I…”

“We appreciate you coming all this way but as you are strangers to the boys; we will not be letting you take them.” Stated another voice. Bella looked back to find Aunt Rosa frowning over at them.

One of the other dwarves growled something out in khuzdul. The brown haired dwarf nodded before shifting slightly towards Rosa. “Of course. We’re of service if ya want to have us help contact the little’uns kin. Least we could do for them and ya.”

“That is an excellent idea. Please head down this road and check in to the inn. Tell them Rosa Took sent you all and they’ll get you settle proper. Tomorrow we’ll sit down and discuss all this.” Rosa said warmly.

The dwarves nodded in understanding. The brunette glanced over at Bella a few times as they left. Bella watched them go. Her back and waist was still warm from the dwarf’s touch. She couldn’t help but notice that the hatted dwarf had a third braid down the back of his head, as gravity defying as the rest.

Rosa stepped up to Bella and carefully pulled her arm up. Bella looked down and stared in surprise. She shouldn’t be. Her arm had a violent black and blue bruise growing on her arm. It was vaguely shaped like a hand. It had hurt when Georgie had grabbed her.

“Lets get this looked at.”

Bella looked up. “What about Georgie?”

A bounder came running up with Flambard. Rosa pulled Bella down the road. “He’ll be taken care of.”

Four little dwarves quickly joined them. Fili had his wooden swords out and walked firmly in front. Gimli and Ori stood on either side. Ori pressed to Bella’s side. Gimli held Aunt Rosa’s hand firmly. Bella could here Kili taking up the rear.

She felt out of it. Bella couldn’t quite understand that what just happened had been real. 

Georgie couldn’t have acted that way. Could he? How could anyone act that way? 

Only bad Men did such things. Like the slavers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many of you guessed what Georgie was doing. ;) Nice!
> 
> In other news I thought finally bring Bofur in was a good final Christmas gift to you all. Hope you like!


	75. Traders

The rumbling of carts caught his attention. Dwalin slowly walked to the side of one of the few roads large enough to allow the passage of carts. The other dwarves with him silently followed his lead.

Merchants of men slowly ambled by with their traveling houses. The normal mercenary guards walked around the perimeter of the carts, hands resting on sword handles. Each cart had two men at the front. Some were young boys clearly learning the ropes from their fathers, others were old and ready to retire to a less mobile life.

One of the older merchants called out to the dwarves, “Up for barter?”

“What ya offerin’?” Called one of Dwalin’s companions. Dwalin frowned at Noi. They didn’t have time for this. The young lad should know better. Noi didn’t appear to notice the look from Dwalin and the other older dwarves.

The merchant grinned and slowed his cart down. “Food and wares, Master Dwarf.” The merchant handed the reins over to his younger companion by his side and turned to rummage through some things. “Ha!” He soon called, lifting up a necklace of silver with a pendant hanging from it. “What do you think of this?”

The dwarf snorted. “Me think yer senile if yer thinkin’ useless finery like that is what’s on me mind!”

The merchant chuckled and tapped his nose. “I know what you’d like!” The old man turned back around and pulled something. His younger companion looked startled as he lifted the item. 

Dwalin frowned at the slight panic that flowed from the lads widening eyes. Yet the panic seemed unfounded as the old man lifted the item. An old dagger in a worn sheath gleamed in the air as the man held it up. “Just 20 silver for this fine iron blade!” 

“Let me see that!” Cried one of the other dwarves. Dwalin snapped his eyes to the other dwarf. Ovre was one of the dwarrow missing a child. He had been unstandable furious throughout the search. Dwalin watch as the father stamped up to the cart with restrained fury. 

Something was going on. The son of Fundin slowly lowered his hand to his belt, inches from the hilt of his trusty hammer resting on his back.

Ovre took the blade and pulled the sheath off it. A snarl of khuzdul fell from his lips as his hands became fists around the object in his hand. “Me pa’s dagger.” Ovre looked up with hate at the merchant. “Me pa’s dagger me son’s been carrying!”

Dwalin and the rest of the dwarves yanked their weapons free even as Ovre lunged up and forward. With a roar the dagger slammed into the younger merchants chest. “Where’s me son!?”

The son of Durin twisted around a blade as one of the guards lunged at him. His hammer unlatched from his back and, with its natural momentum from being freed, Dwalin swung it up into the guards face. The man crumbled.

Dwalin moved on to the next guard. The guard hesitated at the sight of how quickly Dwalin had dispatched the first guard. The hammer slammed into the man’s knee caps. Now wasn’t time for thought. Only action mattered.

It wasn’t long before the battle ended. Most of the men were dead. Two dwarves had left for Mahal’s halls. Three were likely to join them soon.

Inside one of the carts that looked like food storage were cages. There were a few poor daughters of men curled up nude and broken. A couple young boys lay unmoving, no longer carrying for the world. And three little dwarflings curled around their wounds. 

Ovre’s son was one of them.

Dwalin clenched his fists. They were dealing with slave traders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously Dwalin had to organize a bunch of stuff with this development but he also has a few slavers to question too. Don't know if I'll write any of that, though. The point is that Nori isn't the only dwarf that knows about slavers now.


	76. The Green Dragon Inn

His brother smacked him before he could fiddle with his hat for the millionth time that day. They’ve woken up to an invitation to afternoon tea with the pretty hobbit lass carrying for the little dwarflings. There were hours to spend till then.

Bofur son of Bogur slumped into his chair as he watched the hobbits coming and going from the inn. The Green Dragon Inn had been mighty fine, offering them ale and food and proper size bedding. He’d remember it the next time they traveled this way. But his mind wasn’t quiet on the matter at hand. His thoughts kept straying to the mighty fine lass he had helped yesterday.

He still had phantom heat against his chest where she had leaned against him. Startled green eyes filled his mind. The pert little nose and the soft, hairless, freckled cheeks flowed into his mind. The view he had gotten of her chest popped in his head before the dwarf shook his head and moved to fiddle with his hat once again. 

A hobbit lass smiled at him from across the room. She was a cute little thing. They all were. But her hair was a curly brown, not gold. 

Bofur shook his head again. He was being ridiculous. The hatted dwarf flashed a smile back at the lass and grinned when she flushed a pretty red.

“Stop that.” Grouched Bofur’s cousin, Bifur. The rumblings of khuzdul rolled through the room, causing the resident hobbits to quiet for a moment.

Bofur sighed and turned from the view and responded in kind with khuzdul, “Tis little harm to offer a flirt for a flirt.”

Bombur, Bofur’s little, rotund brother entered the conversation with a worried frown, “After yesterday we best avoid causing any trouble or notice.”

“Want another round, gentle...uh..dwarves?”

Bofur turned with a grin directed at yet another pretty lass - this one better than the last with an offer of more ale, “Me lovely lass, another pint of yer wonderful ale would be mighty fine of ya.” Bofur grinned wider at the the amused looked she gave him. She was used to harmless flirts.

Bifur helpfully smacked his head once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Bofur is a flirt but I don't think thats surprising. Next chapter will be a certain afternoon tea with our dwarves here get to find out whats happening and get introduced to our Hobbit and dwarflings properly. 
> 
> It would have been this chapter but Bofur was demanding a moment with ale and this came out of it.


	77. Interrupted Tea

Bella picked up a tea cup and wiped it clean. Auntie Rosa, Uncle Hildigrim, and Uncle Isengar were quietly discussing the court case for Georgie. Bella didn’t want to think about it but it was because of what happened that a group of dwarrow were coming to her house for afternoon tea. She tried to focus on how glad she was only a couple of relatives, and all Took ones at that, were present for tea with the dwarrow today. 

It would have been a right circus of any more of her relatives had decided to show up. Of course, a good number were dealing with Georgie and his family at the moment and couldn’t make it according to Hildigrim. Bella shook her head and tried to think of something else again.

She set down the tea cup and picked up another. Flambard and Sigismond were outside distracting the children. Bella turned around and paused. Fili sat quietly at the kitchen table, cleaning the utensils. His wooden swords leaned against the wall at his side. 

Most of the boys were being distracted.

The hobbit lass sighed and turned back around, setting the cup down and distractedly picking up one she already cleaned (not that she hadn’t cleaned them all already). Dwarves were coming to her house and going to be taking information to her boys’ families. Those families would then come and take the boys’ home. 

That is, if the dwarves proved to be trustworthy. Uncle Isengar likely had some Bounders watching them since they were sent to the inn yesterday. Who knows how these dwarrow were. Georgie seemed to have grabbed the first dwarf he saw and could convince to come to the Shire with him.

Bella set the tea cup down and rubbed at her bandaged arm. Her heart rate sped up as she looked down at the bandage; her mind wandering back to what had happened yesterday. How could anyone do such a thing?  
She blinked rapidly as she felt tears gather. She had cried enough last night. 

The hobbit lass jerked around and pulled down a stack of plates. These were much better than the ones she had pulled down earlier. Bella nodded to herself at that realization before putting away the other stack from earlier planning. Then she picked up the first plate in the new stack and wiped it clean with her cloth.

A heavy knock at the door had Bella jump, nearly dropping the plate she was cleaning. Fili was suddenly at her side helpfully taking the plate from her hand. She patted the dwarfling on the head with trembling hands and moved towards the door. 

Auntie Rosa snagged her arm and twisted her back around towards the kitchen while Uncle Hildigrim and Isengar headed for the door. 

The back door banged open and the sound of scurrying feet filled the air a moment before the rest of the boys poked their heads into the kitchen. Gimli, Kili, Ori, Flambard, and Sigismond all looked in.

“Go clean up.” Squeaked out Bella.

“Exactly, dears. Bella why don’t you get the tea started.” Added Auntie Rosa. “Fili and I will get the table set.”

“I-I..” The front door opened and Bella could hear the rumbling sounds of dwarven voices but couldn’t hear what was actually being said. A shiver ran down her spin as the jovial voice of the dwarf she had spoken to yesterday reached her ears. “Yes, yes. Of course.” She turned toward the stove. “Tea.” 

Her hands trembled as she prepared the tea and then pulled out the cookies Kili had made. Then she pulled out some cooked meats for a small platter full. And a plate of fruit. Bella paused for a moment. The dwarven voice rang out in the other room.

“-mighty fine home ya got here. Made it yerself?”

Her heart jumped and Bella scurried from the kitchen to the pantry and pulled out various cheeses. Then she paused and closed her eyes as the dwarven voices rumbled out from the dinning room, once again too obscured to be understandable. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The trembling faded and, with that, Bella turned around sharply and flew back towards the kitchen to prepare the cheese platter.

She ran into what felt like a wall before she could make it, though. Said wall fell partly on top of her.

Bella blinked as she found the dwarf with the ridiculous hat staring dazedly down at her. Then he turned red. “S-s-sorry!” Cried the dwarf. The dwarf scrambled to get off her. He then reached down and pulled her up, a hand reached out to steady her, resting a little too high up her waist to be proper.

She watched in helpless bemusement as said dwarf turned redder as he realized that fact. The dwarf sprang back from her. 

Then Auntie Rosa was at their side and waving down the hall, “The restroom is this way, Master Bofur.” The dwarf bolted while mumbling some form of thanks.

Bella looked around the room, her mind still a little dazed from what had happened. She turned red as she saw the audience. Everyone was there. 

Auntie Rosa looking far too amused. Uncle Hildigrim looked resigned. Uncle Isengar had a pained expression while her two cousins were clearly fighting laughter. The two other dwarves - a rotund redhead and blackhead with an axe stuck in his skull - looked to be caught between embarrassment and amusement.

Fili was fingering a wooden sword. Kili and Ori were burning holes down the hall with their glares. Gimli was staring at her with a thoughtful frown. 

“So.” She squeaked out, “Tea?”

“Yes,” Quickly agreed Hildigrim. “Let’s settle in the dining room. I’m sure the tea will be out in a few minutes.”

A loud knock at the door caused everyone to pause. Bella hesitated for a moment too long as Uncle Isengar and Flambard swiftly headed towards the door. Hildigrim waved the dwarves to the dining room and Rosa pulled Bella to the kitchen. 

“You alright, dear?” She asked as she placed the various cheese onto a platter. 

Bella took a moment to wonder over when Rosa had picked the cheese up before answering, “Yes, of course!”

The older hobbit nodded at Bella’s side. “You’re certain?”

Bella blinked down and blushed. Her hand was rubbing the side where the dwarf had held her, just below her breast. It was warm and not because of her own hand. “I’m fine.” Bella stated again, forcefully dropping her hand.

“Good.” Auntie Rosa said as he handed one of the multiple platters into Bella’s hands. Then she headed out to the dining room.

Bella followed. The hatted dwarf, a Master Bofur if Bella had heard correctly, smiled at her charmingly. His rotund companion smacked him in the back. Hard.

“I’m afraid this tea is going to be interrupted.”

The blond hobbit lass looked up at Isengar, who had just come from the door. A man stood, slightly stooped at his side. He was travel worn, wore a cloak, armor, and weapons. Bella would recognize his type. The bounder standing clenching his feathered hat in the background helped her conclusion.

“You’re a ranger.” Bella stated.

“Yes,” Agreed the man. “I’ve heard tale that you needed a ranger and I have been looking for something I think you’d help me with.”

Bella sank into a seat across from the now frowning dwarves. After all this time, she had a ranger and dwarves finally show up. Bebother the lot of them.

“What have you been looking for?” Asked Hildigrim.

The ranger grimaced, “A safe place to leave the dwarven children we found amongst a slave trade center we and my fellow rangers have hunted down this past year. I heard of the hobbit lass caring for some already and I think we can help each other out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo... sorry for the wait on this chapter. For anyone that hasn't read my A Secret Gate story - I've been trying to save a start-up company, lost my income, been focused on writing for a living while taking a short break from hunting for a new job (am writing a detective mystery novel of all genres O_O), and has had a crazy general time of it. Hence no updates until recently. 
> 
> Sorry about that.
> 
> Anyway, things are hitting a more mature tone in the story but there will still be cute moments. Many of the following chapters will end up from adult perspectives more often then the children's. 
> 
> Also, I don't plan on writing out the entire conversation that is about to follow during this tea but I can if you all really want me to. It will be explained even if I don't write it out but, well, there is only so much interest a conversation of planning things out around a table will get you.


	78. The Thoughts of a Chef

Hobbits were amazing folk. It wasn’t obvious at first what with their fussing nature, lack of visible muscle, insistence for a level of property that was borderline obsessive, but none the less, they were clearly amazing.

And it wasn’t because they knew how to appreciate a proper meal.

No, they were amazing because of their kindness - even if that kindness might only extent to children outside their kin and kind. The ranger and adult hobbits were all planning out where to put up the various dwarflings. 

Including the ones already here, there were sixteen.

Bofur had already volunteered to stay and help calm the children down (and goodness the blush on that blond lass’s cheeks when he had insisted...and the glares from the little dwarflings). Bifur and he was going to help the ranger find the children’s families.

They would follow the path of the slavers and head first to Fornost and then beyond. If they worked together, the slavers might be stopped. 

Bombur felt his resolve waver for a moment. He had never been part of something important like this before. He wasn’t the best dwarf, enjoying his food too much. One of the dwarflings looked over at him and his resolved tightened. He had never been this close to a dwarfling before. They were kept close to their dams as much as was possible. 

Their mothers had to be terrified. Heartbroken.

He would make sure they were returned to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this wasn't a planned chapter but Bombur wanted a moment.


	79. Proper Introductions

“So…” Bofur paused.

Bella Baggins, the rather pretty blond, was sitting on the bench by the front door of her home. The way the light reflected off her golden hair wasn’t what made the toymaker pause. Certainly, the color was fitting for a lovely lass like her and not something he’d lose his thoughts over. Bofur was sure he’d be waxing lyrically at her right now if it wasn’t for what had caused him to lose his train of thought. 

One of the dwarflings, the dark haired one, was glaring at him. Bofur couldn’t remember a time when a dwarfling had ever glared at him. Sure, there was the one time that one little lad thought he had been flirting a little too much with his ma but that lad had been considerably older. 

No, this was a true dwarfling; this one didn’t even have his first chin hairs coming in yet for Mahal sakes!

He’d certainly have a mighty glare when he grew up. 

But, at the moment, Bofur had the helpless desire to squish the poor kid’s cheeks together.

“Yes?”

Bofur’s eyes snapped back to the hobbit lass. She had turned to regard him, giving him a mighty fine view from his place, standing by the door. He snapped his eyes up to her own with a blush. “Err… well… me kin and I were wondering if we might have a chance ta be introduced ta the little’uns. Especially with me kin heading out tomorrow with the ranger and all.” He rushed out as his original purpose slipped his mind.

Bella stared at him, her face slowly turning pink. She squeaked out as she suddenly jumped to her feet, “Of course, of course.” Bofur stepped out of her way as she rushed into the house, muttering, “Not introduced, of all the inconsiderate...I cannot believe..”

A hand tugged at his sleeve causing, Bofur to glance down. The little dwarfling glared up at him before giving a short bow and announcing, “Kili at your service!”

“Err, Bofur at-”

The little dwarfling finished his bow and stated, ignoring the older’s answering intro, “There, now tell Nâmad that I introduced myself before sh-”

“BOYS! Come introduce yourselves properly!” Came out the ajar door. 

Kili’s glare hardened. “I blame you if she takes away supper.” With that, the dwarfling slipped past Bofur and vanished into the house.

Bofur had a strong feeling that the child didn’t like him. It’d be a first, an uncomfortable first. The toymaker sighed at the idea of a cute little’un hating him as he headed back into the smail (He was almost certain that’s what they called their rabbit like homes).

The other dwarflings were introducing themselves to his kin. Gmili and Ori were the redheads. Fili was the blond. The toymaker glanced between the blond and Kili. They were brothers, though their coloring hide that fact at first glance. A nagging feeling fluttered in the back of his mind. He was forgetting something. 

Bella Baggins stepped into the light from the window and all thoughts vanished as her hair lit up like strands of gold, copper, and hints of silver. Whatever he was forgetting wasn’t important.

Isengar distracted him further as the hobbit pulled him into a conversation about living quarters. He would be put up in a small smial (Apparently he had been wrong.) near by which would be large enough to house five of the twelve children coming this way. The smial wasn’t equipped for extended living, so he and the children would come to Bag End for their meals and washing up. 

Strider, the ranger, had guessed that there were at least five children near about’s Fili’s age and so old enough to have some level of independence within the Shire. Those children would stay with Bofur. 

There was a baby, nearly newborn, who would take up residence with Bella. (Bofur didn’t ask how they came by such a young child.)

The other six would likely end up under the care of some of the neighbors. Rosa seemed certain she could wrangle some of the hobbits in town to leaned a bed and food for them. If not, Bella was certain that her study could be freed up to fit most of the rest and the four dwarfling already present may allow another to join them in their rooms, each. 

It was sound planning, all things considered. Bofur grinned cheerfully at the blond dwarfling, Fili. The child answered with a narrowed eyed stare.

And again, Bofur had the strange feeling of another dwarfling hating him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First - Strider is not Aragorn but Arathorn - I'm going with headcannon that Strider is a type of title for the Dúnedain. 
> 
> Second - I got a new job! Woot. This means my usual warning this time of year isn't "don't expect any updates for NANO month" but don't expect any updates this month as I get into the grove of a 9-6 job. 
> 
> I do have a little blog website you can check out and connect with me at directly, thought! Check it out:  
> http://www.huntingforstory.com
> 
> Happy Halloween.


	80. Ruins of Fornost

Twilight spread, dulling the land into shades of blue and purple as the sun set behind the North Downs. Nori stared out at the black silhouette of Fornost. Deadman’s Dike looked like the ruins it had been for thousands of years. 

The thief fiddled with his brother’s bead as he watched from his hidden camp. The merchant had claimed the bastards who sold the beads came here. What better place for a slaver’s operation than forgotten ruins?

Yet there hadn’t been any movement since he started his watch earlier today. 

Nori rubbed a hand over his worn face. It had been so long, too long. He had been searching longer and farther than he had ever wanted to. The dwarf clenched the bead in his hand. 

Some people were going to be very dead if a single hair was out of place on Ori’s head. (Some were already bond in death by his blade for taking him in the first place. What were a few more?)

The redhead settled back into watching the grass covered ruins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking around for this story. I cannot promise quicker updates but I've gotten a job and moved and almost all unpacked so I should be in a position to do so soon.


	81. One Approves

Bifur watched the little red headed child drag the hobbit lass down the lane. He was due to head out with Strider tomorrow - the hobbits had insisted on them taking the appropriate time to prepare for such a long “walking holiday”, whatever that was supposed to be. 

He glanced over at his cousins. Bombur was taking in all the various hobbits, the tiny little ones in particular. There were so many children. It would be a good place, a happy, relaxing place for the dwarflings saved from the slavers. All that was missing was good stone and their mothers. It would be an ideal place to raise the precious few children born over the last century with some good solid stone underfoot. Maybe they could bring stone in for the children...

Bofur was staring at their hostess's backside and clearly trying not to. Bifur sighed at the sight. Bofur was going to get into so much trouble. He had to realize that by now, what with Miss Baggin’s male cousins walking on either side of him. 

Even if the lass was his One. The idiotic flirt.

“He hasn’t realized it yet, has he?” Asked one of the older Took hobbits. Hildigrim, if Bifur remembered correctly. With his axe wound it was a toss up if he did, especially strange names like that. 

Bifur waved his hand in a fairly universal sign for question.

The hobbit grinned grimly at back, “I meant he doesn’t realize she’s his One yet. That’s why he’s acting like he is, isn’t he? She’s the only hobbit lass he acts like a complete fool in front of so far. I've heard he was perfectly able to flirt with the other lasses at the Green Dragon. And yet, with Bella, he appears tongue tied half the time.”

Bifur nodded slowly. Maybe Bofur wasn’t going to get in as much trouble as he had feared. Though it was unexpected that the hobbit knew about Ones.

“Master Bofur!” Miss Baggins sudden called out from the front of the group. They had stopped at what looked to be some sort of farm. 

Bofur stumbled over dirt as he squeaked out, “Yes?” 

“Gimli would like your opinion on chicken houses. You’ve experience with wood, apparently.” She explained, looking perturbed. 

The little red head smirked from behind her. And Hildigrim snorted, “That lad approves, if you hadn’t noticed.”

Bifur tilted his head in inquiry even as he watch Bofur stumble over with a flaming face.

“Who do you think somehow made it so Mister Bofur ended up sitting directly across from her this morning?” The hobbit grimaced, “The other lads were too busy claiming all the seats by her to realize until too late." 

“Ha.” Laugh Bifur.

“The rest of the boys will noticed eventually and ratify the situation. They don’t approve. At all.”

The dwarf snorted in amusement. Poor Bofur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A, slightly, longer update this time! Woot. And we get to see Bifur's side, have a hint of Gimli's win for chickens, and the fact that Bofur is sooo not subtle to everyone but Bella.


	82. Cleaning up trash

The head rolled across the dirt road. Dwalin wiped a cloth over his axe as the body of the last slaver was dragged to the ditch. It hadn’t taken long to get some information out the bastards. What had taken time was tending to their wounded and gaining some trust from the poor slaves. 

Dwalin had no idea what to do with the humans. Dropping them off at the next human settlement didn’t seem right, somehow, but it really was his only option. They were his responsibility now that they saved them but Dwalin needed to head out. There were slave rings to go to.

Children to find.

“Yer off to Fornost soon?” Asked Ovre, his son wrapped in his arms sound asleep. Fornost was the closest slave ring. It was used twice a year and around harvest time was the next meeting there. If Dwalin rushed, he’d make it in time.

Dwalin turned with a scowl. “Aye.” He said even as his eyes wandered over to the human slaves curled up in a tight group. 

Ovre followed his stare. “I can take the children to Thorin’s Hall, let them know what we’re dealing with.”

Dwalin rubbed his cheek as he thought it over, glancing at their two wounded - one had gone to their ancestor’s hall a few hours past the short battle. “Take the children, the two wounded lads and…” He glanced over to the rest of the dwarrow. Four left. “Noi and Virr. The rest of ya are going to take them,” Dwalin nodded at the human slaves, “to the closest settlement and stay to make sure nothing untowards happens.”

His comrades all nodded. Dwalin turned to Ovre, “Tell’em that I’ve headed to Fornost and am expecting someone to be sent to join me.”

“Aye,” agreed the dwarf. 

The Durin’s son turned to the merchant carts. “Let’s move things around. We should send everything we can back to our halls and you might as well use the carts...I’ll take a pony.”

“We can take care of this.” One of the dwarves said. “Ya grab a pony and what not and head out. We’ll get Ovre and the children moving out soon after.”

Dwalin nodded in agreement before digging around for any gear he’d be able to take to allow him to move as quickly as possible. With a pony he could get to Fornost by the end of the month, maybe even within two weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Dwalin is headed to where Nori is. Soon Arathorn, Bifur, and Bombur will be heading that way. Whatever could possible happen there? XD


	83. Youth and Tooks, or how best to turn Bella into a Tomato

Gimli carefully pet the downy feathers of his silvery laced chicken. He finally had his chicken. Auntie had let him pick out seven young chickens and a rooster. The one he was petting was Minty. She was the sweetest of his chickens. 

The little dwarfling looked up at his chicken coop. Mister Bofur had carved symbols of protection into the wood and the others, Mister Bifur and Mister Bombur, had helped place a mesh under the coop the keep nasty raccoons and foxes from digging into the coop. He liked the broadbeams. 

Gimli was pretty sure Sandanukinh liked them too. Particularly Mister Bofur. 

The two of them didn’t talk with each other all that much but they turned red whenever they looked at each other. 

His lady Rosa agreed. Mister Isengar did too, if his mutterings about resonance and Ones was any indication. 

He was happy for his auntie. She deserved a cheerful dwarf like Bofur. 

A squeal rang out from the house followed by shouting. Gimli ran over to the nearby window and peaked in. 

“Get off her! Get off! Get off!” Roared Kili. Bofur was flopped on the floor again. Bella was half under him. Gimli wondered if either of them could turn any redder and if she really was that ticklish from Mister Bofur’s face being in her chest.

Gimli glanced over at the amused adults slowly moving to help the two on the floor. Sigsmond was actually moving some brooms instead of helping. Flambard shared a smirk with Sigsmond before finally walking over to the now stuttering dwarf and helping him up. 

“They made him fall on auntie.” hissed Fili from behind Gimli. Glancing back revealed Isengar and the blond dwarf.

“Clearly.” Agreed Isengar.

“They have to leave.” Fili stated.

Isengar grinned at the firm demand before saying back, “They are here to help prepare for the other children coming. They cannot leave.”

“He’s fallen on her five times already!” Fili stated, whined back.

Gimli glanced inside to see the tomato faces of Bella and Bofur as the two continued to avoid looking at each other. “I think they want to do more than fall onto to each other.”

Fili’s head snapped towards Gimli, “WHAT?”

“It’s not like they can’t get off each other without help.” Gimli explained. “Mister Bofur can’t keep being that embarrassed that he needs help and Sandanukinh should be used to his facing ending up in her chest by now too.”

“Ah,” Sighed Isengar, his grin growing, “So young.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is really random. It was supposed to be the chapter Bifur and Bombur leave with Strider/Arathorn but this came out and I wanted to give a chapter now instead of later since this is already two weeks past when I had originally planned to get a chapter out to you all.
> 
> Hopefully the silliness was amusing. Gimli has no idea what he's talking about or had implied, ah, youth.


	84. A Miner Revelation

Bofur stumbled into the bathroom as he tried to ignore the warmth covering the front of his body, the feel of soft heat press to his face. The maker was planning against him. That was the only way he could possibly this clumsy. Mahal has forsaken him.

Or maybe Mahal has blessed him? Bofur has repeatedly fallen onto Bella, faceplanting into her wonderful, soft, full breasts. 

NOT, that that was an acceptable happenstance. But, well...they were soft. It was obvious even through her bodice. He’d enjoy nuzzling into them any day of the week. 

Bofur stared at himself through the mirror. He should probably stop thinking about her like this. First he needed to get rid of the grin he was staring at. Bofur forced his lips to curl down and choked back a laugh when he couldn’t keep the smile from returning. 

God, she was gorgeous. 

Bofur tugged at his hat flaps to try and knock his thoughts straight. The dwarf turned on the water and splashed it over his face. No more thoughts like that.

There was no way to go about this. First he needed to focus on helping with the children. Then he could figure out how to woo her. Bofur paused and stared down at his calloused hands. That was exactly what he wanted to do: woo her. He wanted to court Miss Bella Baggins and make her is wife.

“Mahal.” Breathed out Bofur. He looked up and stared at himself, the grin finally gone and replaced by widen eyes and a slack jaw. It fit his exact feeling. A hand had unconsciously moved to his chest, pressed against his heart beating a mile a minute at the realization. 

His mind tried to jump away from his revelation. It was sort of nice to know how he looked when feeling certain things - no wonder Bifur always told him to cut the smile after too much drinking and flirting. That grin was not subtle at all.

But back on topic, because he really couldn’t ignore the fact. The lovely, golden haired hobbit lass with the ample chest, sweet smile, and kind heart was his One. That was why he was having so much trouble with Bella Baggins.

How did one court your One?

“Probably talk to her proper for one thin’.” Mutter Bofur out loud, feeling a little dejected. He hadn’t figured out how to talk to her without losing his train of thought. Falling on her couldn’t have endured himself to her either.

Why did Bifur and Bombur have to go off with that ranger now? He should have insisted at least one of them stayed behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehe


	85. Courting Advice

Isengar stared at the hatted dwarf shuffling in a fit of nerves. He wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to the request. He was honestly the last person he would have ever asked but Bofur had missed the fact somewhere along their interactions.

Finally the confirmed bachelor responded, “Well, flowers are usually the first step.”

The toymaker and miner nodded quickly, eagerly. “Right, flowers.” He tugged at his hat as he processed the advice before asking for clarification, “What flowers? Should I go pick some…and give them to her?”

The bounder commander couldn’t help the twitch of his jaw at the absolute lack of understanding. Finally he offered, “What do you dwarves do when courting?”

Bofur quickly spout out something that sounded almost like a mantra, “We prove our worth through our craft, wealth, clan, and skill; and by acceptance of kin and lass do we complete the courtship with marriage.”

“How?”

The miner shuffled once more, “Through gifts and the tourney or a traditional request of permission match between the head of the family or clan and the interested party.”

Isengar felt a headache coming on with the can of worms he was about to open. What the hell did the lad mean by tourney or match? Did dwarves actual fight, swords and all, for the hand of the lass they were interested in? Isengar open his mouth to ask before another, better thought crossed his mind. The bounder commander closed his mouth as he considered the pro and cons. 

He couldn’t see any cons for himself and that, in this case, was what mattered to him.

Isengar grinned at the dwarf as he finally responded, “Lets go talk with Rosa and Hildigrim. They’ll be able to help you more.” By the Garden, he was not going to stay involved. He was just supposed to threaten the lad when he finally came for permission. Giving him advice was so out of his pay grade. He was the epic adventuring, fun uncle, dammit.

Bofur took a sharp step back while tugging at his hat’s flaps once more, “No, no. No need to be bothering them. Tis only a question for later. Yer mighty fine folk and we’ve little’uns to care for first. I just wanted an idea for when I might have a chance after all the hustle and bustle and yer not going ta be around here all the time so I thought I’d ask before yer back home at, er, Tookland.”

The confirmed bachelor snorted at the rambling mess of a dwarf before standing up and ordering bluntly, “We are going to Rosa and Hildigrim because they went through a courtship. This way you’ll get the information you need and advice on what should be done when. Isengar paused at that, a thought crossing his mind. “Though, you should focus on getting good with Little Bell’s children. Only Gimli seems to like you.”

Isengar grabbed the dwarf’s arm and dragged him off to where Rosa was likely at. (That it was where all the Baggins were was really too bad for Bofur. He had been lucky that the prim and proper lot had been distracted by the trial preparations to pay him more than a cursory review till now.)

Eleven eyes stared at them as Isenger pushed Bofur into the private dinning room at the Green Dragon. Eleven Baggins - though some were Took, Proudfoots, and Bolgers by name (and some were only Baggins by marriage) - watched as Isengar dragged the dwarf to the table and forced him into a seat. (Un)luckily Hildigrim was seated besides Bofur. Isengar took the other empty seat at Bofur’s other side before stating to the room, “The lad wants advice on courting our Bell.”

A few of the ladies in the room squealed and tittered while the majority, being Baggins or Baggins by marriage, frowned in disapproval - because that was how Baggins did things. Isengar rolled his eyes at the disapproving frown on his brother’s face. Still, while they would hamper and complain about the inexcusable offense of Bofur being a dwarf and it was ”just not done”, these were the hobbits that would make sure Bofur followed every damn rule, official and not, in courting Bella. Not a single fucking gossiper would be able to complain about him not following their ways. And with Rosa and Hildigrim involved, they’ll incorporate some of the Dwarves traditions too - which would give approval from the most annoying old cow. 

Isengar leaned forward, pulled two tankards over and a pitcher, poured ale for the poor dwarf and himself. Then, after a long draw of his tankard, added, “Dwarves don’t follow the same traditions as us. He’s got not a clue about anything. Not a damn clue about flowers even. But it sounds like there are some good dwarf traditions to follow too.” 

The ladies tittered again at the news. Lungs Baggins and Hildigrim gave each other looks as they both straightened in the seats, preparing for a long lecture. 

Isengar took another deep swig before standing back up. His part in all this was done. It was almost time to train Fili too. The Took nodded to them all, clasped Bofur on a shoulder and bid his farewell. Now, hopefully he wouldn’t be dragged into anymore courting nonsense. He had ran off from the Shire to get away from it all that the first time around for Yavanna's sakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cheers. ;)


	86. A Family Meal

Bella hummed as she kneaded the dough. Kili hummed with her as he mixed the meat filling. Aunt Rosa sat at the kitchen table, quietly going over the various parchments of writing Hildigrim had dragged the dwarflings into working on that morning. She had a feeling that the Took clan was not going to stick to Tuckborugh any longer. Of course, once the new dwarfings were settled, they would head back home.  
  
Probably.  
  
The back door flew open and Gimli came running, announcing with a huff that the table for tonights meal was set. Many of the Baggins and all the Tooks in town, along with her dwarflings and Mister Bofur were all coming over for supper. This was the first time any of the Baggins would meet the older dwarf. Hopefully he wouldn’t face plant on her once more.   
  
Aunt Rosa pulled Gimli into her lap and quietly reviewed one of the parchments with the child.  Kili jumped into making the hand pies without her help. And Bella stepped back as she let him. The brunette was an excellent little chef. He was at the point that she could focus on the other dishes while he worked in the background. It wasn’t his first hand pie and she would be able to catch him running outside for any dirt this time around.   
  
Mister Bofur stomped, as quietly as he could, into the kitchen. Bella flashed a slight smile over at him before pausing at the sight. The dwarf had no shirt on. She could feel her face blooming red.   
  
Kili threw a ball of dough at the dwarf, smacking him in the face. “NO SHIRT, NO FOOD!” Roared the child furiously.   
  
Bofur stumbled back, hands flying up in surrender, “O’course. Laddie, just came in for a pint of water for the lads and I.”  
  
His words unstuck Bella’s brain. “Kili, no throwing food. And Mister Bofur, let me get you a pitcher and glasses. It’ll be just a moment.”   
  
“Me thanks.” The dwarf soon joined her by the sink and helped take the pitcher and cups from her. A shared smile and the brush of fingers against each other and then he was out back once more. Bella shook her head and went back to work. There were too many folk coming over for her to get distracted now. (But goodness, you don’t usually see a hobbit lad with that type of definition.)  
  
“Well that was interesting.” Remarked her aunt as the older hobbit stepped up besides her.   
  
Bella felt her face grow red once more even as she spoke a quick denial, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  
  
Aunt Rosa hummed and stabbed a carrot from her prep area, “The bit of writing Hildigrim had the children do.” She flashed a smile far too innocent for Bella’s comfort. “What did you think I was talking about?”  
  
Bella shook her head and changed the topic, “Could you prepare the fruit bowl for me?”  
  
It wasn’t long before the first of her relatives came in. Fosco and Ruby came with their children who dragged her own outside for the rest of the afternoon. Lalian and Linda joined with Bodo expected after his shop was closed for the day. Longo, Camelia, Otho, Belba and Rudigar were the last to appear with a few side dishes to join in the meal. Otho quickly joined the other children in play while the adults finished prepping the outside for the meal.  
  
The sun was just sinking towards the high hills in the east as Hildigrim, Isengar, Sigismond, and Flambard helped her and Rosa carry the food out. Bella watched as Mister Bofur was accepted surprisingly easily. She could only spot two disapproving frowns. (It helped that he had found his shirt at some point.)  
  
Her children still seemed at odds with him, if their seating arrangement was any indication, and she could only assume it had something to do with him being a Broadbeam - she really should find out why that would matter and what a broadbeam was compared to what her children were. She knew so very little about the dwarven race. It was a tragedy that she couldn’t help pass such knowledge on to the boys.   
  
Bella’s eyes wandered over the warm dinner party to settle on the dwarf. Mister Bofur might be able to help with that. The hatted dwarf was staring at one of the Baggin End’s carved lanterns sitting in front of him. He looked a little constipated actually. Before she could call out and check on him, as a hostess should, a shout distracted her.   
  
“Well I say our Bella has enough on her hands!” Her eyes snapped to the origins of the outcry. Her Aunt Lalian scowled over at Isengar. What was this about?  
  
Fosco shared a look with his wife, sitting at Lalian’s side, before he said, “We would be able to help.”  
  
“We do have the room.” Agreed Ruby. She paused for a thoughtful moment as she added slowly, “And we’ve the experience compared to Bella.”  
  
“Excuse me but what is this about?” Bella asked in frustration, a disapproving frown crossing her face. Her relatives were considerate, certainly, but they did tend to decide things for her without asking still - a side affect of her loss of parents before coming of age.   
  
Rosa patted Bella’s arm, “We’ve been updating everyone on the plans for the other dwarven children coming to join us.”  
  
“You’re in no position to take care of a newborn, or nearly one.” Sniffed Belba Bolger. “Four little boys is plenty to deal with without a husband on hand. And a baby should be taken in by someone who has had experience with one.”  
  
Rudigar hampered in agreement, “Indeed, indeed.”  
  
Bella paused at that. Well, she didn’t quiet know what to think about it all. Taking care of a baby was considerable amount of work but she had assumed that she would simply because of the lack of volunteers the first time around. Except, she had to admit to herself, she hadn’t asked for any help. She had taken on her boys without much thought beyond the fact that someone needed to and she had been the one to find them. Part of her had looked forward to looking after a baby. She wanted a family and her boys had filled the house up so much, more would have been and would always be welcome.  
  
“We were going to have a baby in the house?” Asked Ori.  
  
Oh, Bella realized, she hadn’t talked about any of this with the boys. They knew there were more dwarrow children coming but that was it. What would they think about having more children in the house? Her eyes met Uncle Hildigrim as he arched a brow at her, clearly realizing the same thing.   
  
“Well not anymore.” Announced Longo, taking up his right as the oldest Baggins even if he wasn’t the technical head of the clan. He nodded at Fosco and Ruby as he said, “I must agree on this. Fosco and Ruby will take the babe and Camelia and I will take…hmm. Two of the children, preferably ones about Otho’s age. We’ve the room.” Camellia nodded and placed her hand on his arm in a show of support while Otho, a bit of a spoilt child, frowned in confusion.  
  
“If we’re planning this out now, we can take a child.” Added Rudigar Bolger. Their smial wasn’t the largest since they had only one child, nearly grown as he was, but there was usually at least a guest room in the smaller smials. It was only polite to have room for guests on a rainy or snowy evening.  
  
The Proudfoots looked uncertainly at each other before Bodo finally said, “We’ve room. Though there’s family coming in during a walking holiday soon. We might need to take in the two we’ve room for after they’ve left.”  
  
“That would leave one.” Remarked Rosa as she passed the smashed potatoes by Bella. “I’d say we could take the little one but it would really be better to keep the children in the same area.”  
  
“They’d be more comfortable.” Agreed Camelia with a sharp nodded. “If we can, we really should see about having the four to stay with Master Bofur placed with others if possible.” She looked over at the hatted dwarf with a warm smile, “Though you’re certain capable, it would be better for the children if they’re staying at a more outfitted smial. The one we’ve been cleaning up for you really isn’t very good.”  
  
“Especially during winter.” Grouched out Rudigar.   
  
“O’course.” Agreed Bofur, his eyes finally dragged away from the lantern in front of him. “I’d gladly just make the rounds, checking in on the little’uns if we can find places for them with families.”  
  
Bella finally spoke up once more, “And, we’ll bring the children all together at least once a week.”  
  
“Oh most definitely!” Agreed Fosco warmly. “The more the merrier.”  
  
The supper’s conversation diverted after that. Small pockets of various conversation springing up. And Bella was distracted by Belba pulling her in to discuss some inane gossip about the Bracegirdles. But, in the back of her mind, Bella knew she needed to sit down with her boys and talk to them about the changes that would be happening with the other children coming here. She felt quiet horrid for having skipped that entire conversation before this.    
  
“Bell.” Bella looked over at Uncle Hildigrim. “We’ve a few things to discuss with you after supper. It’s about the up coming trial.”  
  
Her stomach dropped at the thought, her hand going to where she had bruises fading still. “Right.” She forced out, “Of course.”  
  
Her uncle had waited till the near end of the dinner to bring this fact up. So Bella had barely anytime to worry over the conversation before she found herself directed into her study. Uncle Hildigrim, Isengar, and Longo were the only one to enter with her.   
  
“Sit.” Ordered Longo kindly. “This will only take a few minutes to go over.”  
  
Bella sank into one of the chairs facing her desk as Hildigrim claimed another chair and Isengar hoped up onto her desk while Longo took up a familiar stance. Her father had always claimed such a position when he had to focus on important matters. “So.” Bella said slowly.  
  
“The trial will be in three days.” Hildigrim jumped right into it. “You will be called as a witness.”   
  
The hobbit lass nodded at that. She had been expecting that.   
  
“The children will be called up also.” Longo added.   
  
Bella straightened at that, “Why?”  
  
Longo raised a brow at her as he explained. “Gimli might be slightly young but the other three are old enough to explain what they’ve seen and heard.”  
  
“Bofur has been informed that he’ll be called up also.” Said Isengar. “Short statements is all that’ll be needed. Everyone knows whats been happening. Its all formality, really.”  
  
“In this case.” Muttered Longo.   
  
“Right.” Said Bella. “Is that all?”  
  
“No.” Isengar said. “We want you to understand what is the likely outcome. He’s not going to be executed. Some will argue that he hadn’t done much outside of ignoring your decision to postpone a courtship. Most everyone seemed to think you were going to end up together within the year or two.”  
  
Bella’s stomach dropped at that statement. Why had so many thought she’d end up with Georgie? She couldn’t think of anything she had done to imply any interest. She slumped back in frustration. That wasn’t to say she expected him to be executed either, though. “So, what is the likely punishment?”  
  
Hildigrim shared a look with Longo before he explained, “We will be pushing for a banishment to the South farthing homesteads to work as a indentured slave in the fields for ten years and the appropriate marker of dishonor matinee for 12 years. Part of it is unlikely to hold, though. If he had gotten farther in his assault it would have been a simple matter,” Her Took uncle quickened his words as he explained his reasoning in response to her expression, “not that we wanted any of this to happen. It’s just legal precedence we’re considering here.”  
  
Bella gave a jerking nodded, “What will he get, though?”  
  
“Not entirely certain.” Said Longo with a scowl, “He’s second nephew to one of the jury. They’ve never been close and we’re all related in someway or another. Or at least that’s the argument that convinced the rest to let him stay on for the trial.”   
  
“He’ll get banishment and to the fields, somewhere.” Isengar said, hopping down from the desk to place a calming hand on her shoulder, “It’s just a matter of where and how long.”  
  
“He might not be forced to maintain a mark of dishonor for as long as we’ll push either but he’ll have to have the marker for at least a few years.” Added Hildigrim.   
  
“Alright.” Bella agreed. She could deal with this. “I guess…I’ll have to talk to the boys about this too.”  
  
“We could explain it.” Longo offered.  
  
Bella shook her head and rose. “No. Thank you but I think I should tell them.”  
  
The males all nodded at her insistence and the four left the study to rejoin the dwindling party. All the children were playing in the twilight, chasing fireflies and each other. Bofur was surprisingly comfortably siting amongst her family, entertaining all the adults with some ridiculous story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see. Hope you enjoyed the longer then usual chapter.
> 
> I do apologize for how long it's been. I've had this chapter mostly written up for the past couple of months but I needed a break from hobbit fanfiction. So I'm back and plan to have the next chapter out by next month at latest as I slowly transition from Harry Potter fanfiction that has been in the back of my mind for _years_ back this and A Secret Gate.
> 
> The break has been good though. This chapter came together easily this time around. And, while I took a break from writing, I have considered the plot of this and A Secret Gate to help think through some issues I was running into when trying to write. So I feel pretty pumped.
> 
> There is also the fact that I have a set schedule for writing that I stick to pretty firmly now. All good things, guys. :)
> 
> (re-uploaded to fix my mix up of Isengar and Hildigrim at the end conversation XD...)


	87. Considerations of a Son

Ori furrowed his brow as he watched in the background. He stayed out of the way, watching the interactions, the way bofur held himself, the way the broadbeam reacted, and what he said - and what he didn’t say. The red headed child mulled over what he saw.

At first Ori wanted to join in with Kili and Fili. He had almost done so. Then he had noticed Gimli. His young friend wasn’t fighting against the interloper. Gimli seemed to actually help him. 

Ori didn’t know what to think. 

That didn’t mean he didn’t step in. There was no way the broadbeam would be allowed to sit right by his kurâmad. But, Ori had to admit to himself, he hadn’t seen any reason to do more. 

It was partly because he didn’t know if he should. Mister Bofur was not Georgie. He was funny. And he seemed kind. The broadbeam wasn’t brisk or crude. He was clumsy - though some of the Tooks seemed to be helping him be clumsier. Mister Bofur was a flirt, or at least according to something Ori had overheard. He hadn’t actually witnessed Mister Bofur flirt. 

Would he recognize a flirt though?

Ori groaned at the thought. He didn’t want to think about any of this. If only Mister Bofur had been interested in a different hobbit. But that was too late. The miner was interested in his mama.

He couldn’t just stand back and let this happen, could he? 

No. He couldn’t - this was his kurâmad and he would protect her.

At least he didn’t have to worry about her being taken away. No one could take her from him now that she said she was his mama. Ori didn’t think a mama of choice could just leave. A mama of blood could have a baby and leave because she hadn’t wanted the baby but a mama of choice chose the baby and no mama would take that decision lightly. (He wasn’t a baby but that didn’t matter in this case.) His amad hadn’t meant to leave him and that could happen to his kurâmad but Mister Bofur couldn’t make his mama leave him.

She chose him. Mister Bofur would have to deal with it.

Of course, there was the other issue but Ori couldn’t really see himself complaining as long as his mama was happy. If she was happy with Mister Bofur instead of Dori or Nori, then that was alright. He wanted her happy over having her marry one of his brothers. 

That didn’t mean he should make things easy for the broadbeam. He should make sure Mister Bofur could protect her, that he would uphold the traditions and work well with the rest of the family, and he absolutely had to treasure her like the irreplaceable person she was. Thankfully, kurâmad’s hobbit family was around to help make sure he deserved her. They wouldn’t know about the dwarrow traditions but he would endeavor to remind the miner of them. Ori wasn’t sure if he recalled all of them but he was certain between Fili and himself, they would recall most of them - maybe not all the details and intricacies but it would do.

But first, Bofur had to prove that he was worthy of courting his kurâmad. He had to convince Ori, Fili and Kili, get verbal confirmation of approval from Gimli. There was also asking for permission from the various hobbit relatives. And, of course, the trial with Georgie had to be completed so there was no open courtship - no matter how one side it was - to get in the way.

Ori sighed at his thoughts. He was overthinking it. There was so much Mister Bofur had to get through before anything really happened. For now, he needed to decide how to handle the miner. 

Should he join Kili and Fili more actively?

It wasn’t really his way. Maybe a simple threat and reminders of the threat until Mister Bofur proved his worth.

Ori nodded to himself at the thought. Now he just had to decide how best to threaten the dwarf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ori has always come across as more mature - thinking-wise, then the rest. Hence his thoughts above.

**Author's Note:**

> The little darrows aging is probably off in the story. Their mental and physical age matches during childhood in this story. As in Gimli is about 5 mentally and looks it but is like 22 or something like that.
> 
> Age portrayals:  
> Gimli: 5 years old  
> Kili: 6 years old  
> Ori: 8 years old  
> Fili: 10 years old  
> Bella: Is like 34-36 years old
> 
> This is possibly going to end up more like a bunch of one shot stories that combine into showing the life of Bella Baggins with four dwarrow children to take care of while her relatives and the rangers try and find their family. Chapters will update when I have inspiration -- this is a random plot that keeps bugging me and stopping me from writing other stories so I don't rightly know how often it will be updated.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Lost and Found fanart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/971527) by [ajir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ajir/pseuds/ajir)
  * [Bb Dwarves in Hobbit Clothes, omigosh](https://archiveofourown.org/works/988462) by [elenorasweet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenorasweet/pseuds/elenorasweet)
  * [Tiny Ori Kisses](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072950) by [elenorasweet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elenorasweet/pseuds/elenorasweet)




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